Bloodlines
by Jason Thompson
Summary: Kara vowed to take care of Kacey on New Caprica, but that vow is put to the test when she returns to Galactica.
1. Chapter 1

**Bloodlines **  
November 29, 2006

Disclaimer: Once upon a time there was a guy he wrote a story with characters and settings he didn't own, but he put a disclaimer on his story and that made it a little less illegal. Galactica is owned by Universal, Sci-fi Channel, Glen A Larson, David Eick and Ronald D Moore.

Category: AU; L. Adama/Kara Thrace, L. Adama/Dualla, K. Agathon/S. Agathon, others.

Summery: Kara vowed to take care of Kacey on New Caprica, but that vow is put to the test when she returns to Galactica.

Notes: Torn did happen, but for reasons that will soon be apparent, Adama only tore into Tigh at the end of that episode.

Dedication: Dedicated to the usual suspects; Genova aka Schweet, Bri, Mary, Duchess, Dale, Blaire, Red, Stone Cold, Ice Wing, Arashi, Aslan, Vega, Tony D, Jen Zimmer, Louise, Sairs, and Queen Angel who have allowed me to bounce my ideas off them, and Krac, cause she has the evil bunny slippers.

**Bloodlines**

Cottle was looking at Kara with an expression of extreme disappointment, "I don't know where the frak you got the idea that you could take care of a child without bringing her to me before now Captain, but it was stupid. Kacey could have serious medical concerns, by not bringing her here the first day, you could have endangered her life."

The statement struck her to the bone, could Kacey's life be in danger? "Is… Is she…"

Cottle stood away from his desk and rummaged through his coat pockets as Kara's gaze settled on the little girl in question. Kacey was oblivious to the tense conversation as Medic Ishay was allowing her to listen to her heartbeat with a stethoscope. "No, she's healthy, battling a little bit of a cold, however you're about to learn that children and colds go hand in hand." The child giggled at the sounds she heard and Kara felt a smile slide over her face at Kacey's delight.

Cottle picked up a file and dropped it in Kara's lap before he returned to his seat, "You were afraid the child was a hybrid, weren't you?" Kara nodded mutely, "Well, that was the first test I ran and you can rest assured that she's not. She is human, no traces of Cylon DNA." A weight on her heart was eased with those words, suddenly Kara's resistance of Leoben felt more justified to her now that she knew that everything about those four months was only lies.

She was a little more confident when she asked her next question, "Is she my daughter?"

Cottle frowned, "I ran more standard tests on Kacey including maternity and paternity tests from Fleet records." Kara started to protest when Cottle continued, "It's a standard procedure so we can get family history of congenital diseases if needed. I have the results but I'd like to have some people present before I tell you."

Kara scowled, "Okay, fine. But I don't want this all over the frakking Fleet, no more people than absolutely necessary."

The old doctor's scowl was nearly blistering, "Do I look like a frakking gossip columnist? Twenty minutes."

When those twenty minutes passed, Kara was surprised when the Admiral stepped through Cottle's office door. A moment after that she leapt from her chair when Athena walked into the office, "What the frak is going on?"

He grabbed Ishay and said, "Take her back to the senior pilots' bunk." Ishay took Kacey from Kara and left and Cottle crossed the office then closed the door behind, "Settle down Captain. Lieutenant Agathon is here because of a theory I have."

Adama sat down in the chair next to her and Kara found she couldn't look at him without feeling embarrassed still. She'd attempted a bone-headed move during a training exercise and Lee had pulled her flight status for a while for disobeying a direct order which almost killed her and another pilot in the process.

In the past, she might have pulled the move off and tagged Kat but her reflexes were a little slow after a year out of the cockpit and she clipped the nose of Narcho's plane. Of course, in the past, she and Lee would have laughed something like that off, he might joke that the next time she pulled something like that he'd chuck her out the nearest airlock rather than let her wreck one of his planes or endanger his pilots. He did say that, but he was deadly serious.

Most importantly, in the past, she wouldn't have been frightened as hell that she would leave Kacey all alone. The Old Man had talked to Lee and eventually he'd allowed her to return to flight status after she did a couple weeks on raptor duty to get the feel of the stick again. She might have protested had Lee not told her it was at the Admiral's suggestion before he dismissed her abruptly.

It was the gravelly voice of the Admiral that shook her from her thoughts, "What is it, Doctor?"

Cottle went through his pockets and produced a cigarette, which he lit and took a long drag from. When he expelled the smoke, he began. "After three months on board, Captain Thrace finally saw fit to bring her stow-away to me yesterday and I've been going over Kacey's test results with her."

There was a tense silence from Adama and Athena before the raptor pilot said, "Is the child Cylon in any way?"

Cottle shook his head, "The child is human. As I informed Starbuck, I ran other tests on her; some basic pediatric blood screenings to check for things like measles, the child is in good health. I also ran DNA tests on Kacey to find her parents if possible. As you may be aware, the blood records of every member of the military is on record and the vast majority of civilians from New Caprica had been screened as well, the records were kept on Colonial One so I was able to run a lot of possible matches. The child is not genetically related to Captain Thrace but I did find some genetic matches within the Fleet." He picked up a file and handed it to the Admiral, "To be specific, two genetic matches, both paternal. One match is a ninety-nine point four percent match, the child's father. The other match is about fifty percent which suggests he's the grand-father."

Adama nodded as he opened the folder, "Good to hear, where are they?"

Cottle chuckled darkly around his lit cigarette, "That's the frakking kicker, they're right here on Galactica, both of them." Kara was sure her heart had stopped because she was sure she had died, her head managed to turn to see Adama in a stare-down with Cottle and Sharon looking between all three of them with a stunned expression. Cottle then spoke, "Congratulations Admiral, you're a grandfather."

"Oh my frakking gods…" Was all Kara could say as she buried her face in her hands, why couldn't she have been someone else's child? Anyone else's?

Adama scowled as he read over the proof that he was a grandfather, "Lee met a woman while he was at War College, they were engaged and she was expecting a child around the time of the Attacks. He presumed she was still on Caprica and killed."

Cottle nodded, "That would fit with Kacey's age. I had tried to contact the Major but he was on another ship."

Adama closed the file and dropped it on the desk, "The question is how this little girl ended up on New Caprica."

The CMO turned to the other occupant of the room, "That's why I asked the Lieutenant to be here, considering her unique knowledge."

Sharon chewed on her left thumb as she thought it over and Kara felt her world spinning out of control. She was going to loose Kacey, Lee was going to find out and want his daughter to be a part of his life, _his_ family, not hers and she'd have to watch this girl who slipped so easily into Kara's heart grow up most likely calling Anastasia Dualla, a woman who wouldn't even take her husband's name, mother.

Kara was certain the first time she heard Kacey scream "mommy" and run into Dee's arms, Kara would eagerly take Lee up on his offer to chuck her out an airlock. As this bleak thought settled on her shoulders she felt a hand squeeze her knee and she looked between her fingers to see the Admiral trying to silently offer her support.

Sharon chose that moment to speak, "As you know, the Cylons wanted to start a cross-breeding program on the Colonies. The nuclear strikes avoided what civilian targets they could to leave as many survivors as possible. The people were gathered up, healthy men and women of breeding age were rounded up for the breeding experiments. Pregnant women underwent wide-ranging exams to make sure the mother and child were healthy. At that point, Kacey's mother was likely extensively questioned."

She paused to take a breath then continued, "The Cylons also managed to get a hold of the Colonial Database, including genetic records. They probably ran a number of tests on Kacey when she was born, up to and including a paternity test. If this woman hadn't already volunteered the information, they would have learned that the child was related to you, Admiral."

The Old Man nodded, "So, the Cylons were probably planning at some point to use Kacey as leverage, to convince me to surrender the Fleet for her well-being, something like that." Sharon nodded, and he continued, "Then when Lee took command of Pegasus, they probably moved Kacey off the Colonies to bring her closer to the Fleet."

Sharon frowned, "When they occupied New Caprica and the Fleet ran, they probably brought Kacey down to the surface in the hopes of getting word to you and the Commander that his daughter was in their possession and if you surrendered the Fleet, he could see her."

The thought of Kacey as leverage chilled Kara to the bone. But it didn't explain everything, "Why-" She cleared the lump that had been in her throat since she realized that Lee was Kacey's father and tried again, "Why would…"

Adama scowled, "It may have just been as simple as Kacey being there, or maybe Leoben thought that with the chance to get to the child and you, it might make it harder for Lee and I not to give in to them." Sharon nodded her agreement and silence settled upon them again. Finally Adama spoke, "Give us a moment." Cottle and Sharon nodded before they left.

When the door closed, Kara managed to gather enough courage to say, "Sir, I… I mean… I know that Kacey is Lee's and he'll want to raise her but I just want to be part of her life."

"I know Kara, and I'll do what I can to make sure Lee knows that when I tell him." He frowned, "To be honest, from the conversations I've had with him and Dee… I just don't know what he'll say about it."

Kara felt a chance was within reach, "Let me tell him then. I want him to have to face me when he tries to take Kacey away."

**&&&&&&&&&End Part 1&&&&&&&&& **

A/N: Don't expect this one to be updated a lot until after I finish Apotheosis (which has maybe six or seven parts left) but I will probably make Bloodlines my next story after Apotheosis is finished. Also, I'd like to take the time to thank you for reading, I've never been one to write for the purpose of getting feedback as much as I've just enjoyed telling stories but I do appreciate those who read my stories.

--Jason


	2. Chapter 2

Anastasia smoothed the lines of her uniform and inspected her hair. Once she determined everything was in place and she looked ready for duty, she closed her locker and left the Junior Officers' bunkroom. She and Lee had lobbied with the Old Man for shared quarters but with the refugee situation, he had no choice but to put Lee with his pilots and bunk her with the Junior Officers. Admittedly, they were a step up from the enlisted bunks, but most definitely a step down from the Commander's Cabin on Pegasus.

She was lonely.

She hadn't seen Lee off duty for more than a minute or two in weeks. Hell, he'd spent more time with Karl in the gym regaining his lost physique then he spent with her. Which she'd been grateful for, especially when she caught sight of him in the head a few days ago, towel wrapped around his waist as he was shaving.

She was rather proud of herself that afternoon as she'd attacked him in a shower stall and got reacquainted with his body and he'd left her shaking against the wall of the stall before he slipped out on his way to a meeting with Narcho to discuss his new class of nuggets. At least she knew he'd been just as lonely as she.

Still, stolen moments in the head were no substitute for spending time together like they used to be able to.

She missed him.

More than that, she was worried about him. Something within Lee had shifted since the Exodus began anew. On Pegasus, he'd been a shepherd, a mentor, an older brother and a thousand other things required of a commanding officer. It required him to have a will of steel. Even when he'd "gone soft" that will was still there just below the surface. Asserting itself moments at a time, when he'd forced the Fleet to jump away, while he argued with the Admiral over the rescue op and finally when he ordered them to FTL back to New Caprica so he could save his father.

When he learned he'd be the CAG again, Lee had remade himself until it was no longer his will that was made of steel but himself and he then sharpened himself into a blade. He was a weapon now, he had regained that hardness he had those first few months after the Attacks.

Gone was the Lee she recognized readily as her husband, replaced by the pilot he'd once been. The one that was so close to Starbuck that everyone _knew _it was only a matter of time before they were frakking right on the flight deck like crazed beasts. Was it now merely a matter of time before Starbuck turned her attention on him? Only days from the moment Lee began to crave that fire between his best pilot and himself? Weeks from the day he came to her and said, "I'm sorry, I love you but I _need_ her" and he walked away?

Late at night, alone in her bunk she allowed the terror of that moment that seemed destined for her to grip her and she cried silently until she fell into a fitful sleep.

She collided with someone as she turned the corner and when she looked up she found herself face-to-face with Starbuck. "My apologies, Captain."

Starbuck shook her head, "It's alright Dee, I need to speak with you and Lee."

Dee frowned, "Not possible sir, he and Helo are on the Astral Queen trying to get the Viper Factory off the ground for a least another day or two." The pilot cursed and looked away nervously, "Is it something I can help with?" Her stomach turned at that question. She actually offered to talk to the woman she was reasonably sure was taking her husband away from her when she knew the topic was Lee himself, was she crazy?

It didn't help when the senior officer nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I have to talk to you about this, right now."

They re-entered the bunkroom and Kara dogged the hatch. For a moment, she wondered if Kara was here to kill her. Kara didn't turn to her with a murderous glint in her eyes; in fact she didn't turn at all. "It's about Kacey."

Dee looked at Kara's slumped shoulders, it was a resigned posture. What could she have to say that was eating at her? She thought for a moment and came up with a vague memory of a toddler Starbuck had taken in, some girl was found with her on New Caprica, there'd been some vague rumors of the child being part Cylon and she even remembered scuttlebutt saying that the girl had been the reason Sam had left Kara then asked for a divorce. Dee took a step forward, "Your little girl?"

Kara let loose with a mirthless laugh, "Yeah, _my_ little girl." She turned around and leaned against the hatch. "I took her to see Cottle."

Dee felt an ache at the anguish on her pseudo-rival's face, "Is she alright?"

She nodded in a jerky fashion and said, "She's fine, in good health. He also performed blood tests, Leoben lied, she's not half-Cylon. She's not even my daughter."

The ache erupted into sympathy, "Oh gods… Kara, I'm so sorry. Do they… Do they know if she's related to someone in the Fleet?"

Again, Kara laughed without humor, "Yeah… Her father and grandfather are alive, right here on Galactica too. Kacey is Lee's daughter."

"Oh Gods…" Ana took a step back to sit down but didn't hit the bench and crashed to the deck instead. "Oh Gods…"

This was it. The moment Ana had feared was upon her, Kara was here to take Lee away from her. Her mind betrayed her and presented her with an image of Lee and Kara with Kacey, the perfect family. She saw the moment Kara presented Lee his daughter, long thought dead, his tears of joy as the girl held her arms out to her father for the first time in her life and the look that passed between Lee and Kara as their bonds to Kacey cement their bond to each other.

How could she compete with this, she didn't even want children. They'd had that discussion once, Lee told her about Gianne and Shevon and Paya, told her about the guilt he still felt for pushing Gianne away and the fear that the Gods were punishing him for Zak's death by destroying his family. She hadn't meant to say anything but she just blurted out that she'd never desired children, she'd never ask him for them either. At the time he seemed to take solace in that.

She wondered what he'd say if presented with Kacey, proof that the Gods were not punishing him for Zak. Would Lee see his daughter as a blessing of a union with Kara? Of course he would. She looked up with a stunned expression, "How is this possible?"

Kara clenched her eyes shut, "The Cylons wanted to use her to convince Lee and the Admiral to surrender the Fleet. The Admiral believes that Leoben brought her to me in an attempt to increase that leverage." She scrubbed her face with her hands and said, "I have to tell him. He should know his daughter… have his daughter… Even if it means I can't have her."

Dee knew that would never work, the girl now saw Kara as her mother and Kara clearly loved her like a daughter. Kacey would never accept giving up Kara and vice versa. Kara "giving up" Kacey would just be the long way. Lee would offer to share the child and eventually the two of them would drift together and Dee would be left behind.

"No." Kara looked up at the sound of Dee's voice, "No. He can't… he can't know."

The pilot looked at her as though she'd gone mad, "What are you talking about?"

She finally picked herself up off the deck and spoke more forcefully. Grabbing on to the only path that would save her marriage, "Lee can never know. You can't tell him." As she spoke, she felt more conviction in her lies. "You don't understand Kara. Lee was destroyed by this and to open those wounds again would be cruel… He wouldn't want to know that his daughter had been used by the Cylons… He'd never forgive himself. After Shevon, he vowed never to have children; he doesn't want that in his life Kara. You can't do this to him." She took a step forward and gave Kara a pleading look, "Take Kacey, raise her as your own, even ask the Admiral to be her grandfather but if you ever cared for Lee, you'll never tell him this. Promise me you'll never tell him."

" Dee-"

She gripped Kara's hand tightly, "Do you love Lee?" After a moment of stunned inaction, Kara gave her a timid nod, "Then promise me!"

Kara shook her head, "He'll find out. Someone will let it slip, and when he does find out he'll… I mean we'll be lucky if he only throws us out an airlock."

Dee scowled at her then went on the offensive, "Oh, I get it. You want Lee to find out, you want him to come confront you, then you offer him time with Kacey and eventually you'll offer him your bed. He's my _husband_." The last word was hissed out with anger and indignation. She'd needed to develop quite an air of indignation during her time as Lee's wife and his XO, Lee could barrel over most people, and he'd learned it from the best; his father and Kara. She'd need all the bravado she could muster to get past Kara, even as off balance as she was at the news of Kacey's parentage.

She could hear Kara's knuckles crack ominously, "How dare you-"

Her chin rose defiantly and she spoke, "You will not tell Lee. If you do, I will see to it that Lee takes her away and throws you the frak off the ship so you can never see Kacey again."

Her words struck Kara in the heart and she watched the pilot deflate in fear for just a moment before she nodded quietly and left the room.

&&&&&&&&&

"Six weeks! Six frakking weeks of that frakkin' hole and Zerek's smirking face, never again. You hear me, Helo?" Karl grinned at Lee's laugh as his tirade drew to a close. The two of them were awaiting the approach vector and landing clearance, but after six weeks, both had to agree with the old saying "Familiarity breeds contempt."

The often affable former ECO gave the CAG his best mock-scowl and said, "Trust me Apollo, it'll be a treat going back to sharing a bed with my wife after six weeks of hearing you carry on entire conversations with Morpheus every night."

The shorter man grinned from the pilot seat, "So you prefer Sharon's logging camp to my occasional mumbles?"

Karl thought it was a testament to how far their friendship had come that Lee teased him about Sharon in the same manner he'd tease the Chief about Cally. A year ago even the most harmless mention of Sharon would have set him off, "Two things, there's nothing 'occasional' about you talking in your sleep and second, snoring is a small price to pay for lying in bed with Sharon."

Lee merely rolled his eyes and started to respond but his retort was interrupted by Hoshi giving them landing clearance. A text-book landing from the CAG had the acting XO smirking. Lee just shrugged, "Hey, I may not fly raptors often but the second I botch a landing Kat and Racetrack would be all over me."

As they were taxied onto the flight deck Karl took the set up opportunity Apollo had presented. "A worse fate for a man I can't imagine."

Lee powered down then popped his harness, "You said it, I didn't." He stood up and made his way to the back of the raptor then shouldered his duffle.

Karl popped his harness as well and chuckled, "Fair enough."

Lee exited the Raptor while Karl picked up his pack and as Apollo began post-flight Karl stepped out and noticed Sharon in the midst of some routine maintenance on her raptor. He crossed the deck to her, without even turning Sharon said, "Captain Agathon, sir."

He grinned, "Lieutenant Agathon, it's a violation of protocol not to come to attention and salute the XO, even if he's merely the acting XO."

She stood up, "What if I were to do this?" She yanked him into a hug, not caring about the serious breech of etiquette only that he was with his wife for the first time in over a month, Karl gratefully sank into the embrace.

He finally stepped back, "Much better." He looked her over and grinned, "You cut your hair again."

She grinned at him, "You like it?" She gestured to her slightly shorter locks.

He smirked, "I may not be the most experienced husband in the Universe but I do know that the only answer for that is yes."

She rolled her eyes at him then got a much more serious look, "Did Starbuck call the Major at all?"

Karl frowned, he and Sharon had called each other every few nights while he was on the Astral Queen and during one of the calls she had asked how Lee was taking the news. When Karl didn't have a clue what she meant she told him about Kacey.

Sharon figured that Kara was waiting for Lee to return to Galactica as this wasn't something you discussed over the wireless, but Karl knew Kara very well. He wanted to believe the best about one of his oldest friends but he also knew that she had a streak of cowardice in her when it came to Lee Adama.

Karl Agathon would bet everything he owned that Kara had no intention of ever telling Lee about Kacey and he had every intention of calling the viper pilot on it.

Sharon knew from his frown, "No then."

Both Agathons turned and watched Lee sign-off on his post flight and hand it over to Seelix, the young woman asked about her flight school entrance exams and Lee gave her a nod before shouldering his pack and coming over to them. "The Chief is going to hate me; her scores are some of the best I've seen since Kat. I might be able to stall her, but I'm going to have to take her some time soon." He turned to Karl, "We better check in with the Admiral." He then nodded to Sharon, "Athena."

Lee was half-way across the Flight Deck before Karl said his good-byes to Sharon and caught up. They came upon the Senior Pilot's bunk and both men stored their duffels and just passed the CAG's office when Karl heard a familiar exasperated yell and a miniature blonde-headed blur shot down the corridor.

Karl swooped down and hauled her into the air; she giggled and clutched his neck in a hug. "KACEY! How's my favorite Nugget?"

The toddler squealed in his ear and giggled again as Karl gave her a sloppy kiss. Kacey then popped the index finger of her left hand into her mouth and turned her attention on Lee just as Kara came bounding up the corridor to them. "Karl, thank the Gods you caught her. She's been wreaking havoc on the Flight Deck the last couple of days and I was afraid the Chief would recruit her for…" She trailed off and watched Karl scowling at her while Lee and Kacey stared at each other, "Lee."

Kacey finally removed the finger from her mouth, "Hi."

Lee grinned, "Hi. What's your name?"

Kacey gave him an amused expression, "Hi."

Lee shook his head, "Hi."

Kacey started to giggle as she said, "Hi."

Karl chuckled, "She likes you Apollo." As if to prove his point, Kacey reached out to Lee. Karl noticed Kara pale and gasp out of the corner of his eye.

Lee shook his head at Helo as he pulled Kacey into his arms, "Can't argue her taste."

"This is Apollo, Kacey. He's a friend of Mama's." Karl gave Kara a hard look when he said the word "Friend."

"'Pol-lo." The youngster was captivated by Lee's wings; she gripped them between her chubby fingers and frowned when they didn't come loose from his uniform.

Lee shook his head, "You are Starbuck's kid aren't you? How about we go in my office and I find you a pair of wings of your own." He turned to Kara, "Do you mind, Starbuck?"

After a stunned moment, Kara nodded dumbly and Lee took Kacey back down the hall into his office. Karl then lit into her, "You're not going to tell him are you?" Kara only looked down in shame, "Kara!"

The viper pilot turned haunted eyes on him, "It's complicated!"

"Bullshit!"

Anger surged into her eyes now, "What's it to you, anyway? You and Lee are all buddy-buddy now so you've got his back over someone you've known since the Academy?"

"I've got his back as a father! If I found out someone had kept Hera away from me, you could damn well be sure I'd kill the person responsible."

The comment seemed to deflate Kara's indignation, "I don't want to lose her…"

He sighed, "Lee's not a monster Kara, give him a chance."

"It's not that simple-"

Kara quickly stifled herself as Lee chose that moment to return with Kacey who'd completely forgotten her new friend in favor of the shiny pilot's wings now pinned to her overalls. He handed the child over to Kara, "Kara, I… I just wanted to say…" He frowned and looked down the corridor for a moment before he finally said, "I'm sorry for grounding you the way I did, I shouldn't have gotten as angry as I did."

Her bewildered look gave away to a cautious smile after a moment and Lee took the opportunity to say good-bye to Kacey and take his leave. He almost turned down a new corridor when Kara found her voice. "Lee?"

He stopped and crossed some of the distance to her again, Kara covered most of the rest. "Listen… If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I have CAP at Sixteen-hundred and the Tyrols can't watch Kacey, do you think you could?"

Lee looked from Kara to the impish blonde in her arms and back before shrugging. "Sure, if only because she's better company than I've had in about six weeks. Just bring her by my office, I've got to catch up on paperwork." He leaned forward and whispered, "Is she… trained?"

Kara couldn't help the laugh she let loose, "Yes! She's almost two, Lee. No diaper changes needed, she's pretty talkative once she's more relaxed around you too. She still needs a little help to eat, but she's starting to master the spoon." She scowled at Lee's smirk, "Don't start, she even likes to draw."

The CAG grinned at her, "I'd expect nothing less from your kid, Starbuck. I don't have a lot of experience with kids, they kinda scare the crap outta me."

Kacey looked up with a toothy smile and yelled, "Crap!"

She repeated the word in a sing-song fashion and Lee flinched, "Sorry."

Kara frowned a little at Kacey then said, "It's okay, I've had to be careful about what words I say, she's starting to really pick them up a lot quicker than before." She flushed, "Lee, I can tell she likes you… and well, I've let her call the Admiral 'Grandpa-'"

Kacey's eyes lit up and she squealed, "Gappa! Gappa!"

Kara turned to her daughter, "We'll see Grandpa later, okay sweetie?" Kacey pouted but stayed quiet as she gripped Kara's dog tags and began playing with them. "Anyway, if you'd like, I think it'd be great if you spent time with her. She needs her- _a_ father figure."

Karl could tell the CAG was suddenly very tense by the way he shoved his hands in his pockets and seemed to shrink away a little bit, "Um… well… Let's see how this first time goes before I teach her how to ride a bike or anything… and then there's Dee." He sighed in a frustrated manner as he trailed off. Kara nodded in understanding and he left without another word.

Karl stepped up behind her as Lee disappeared around the corner. "I'm warning you Kara, if you don't tell him, you're hurting him and Kacey more than you'll ever know. One of them will find out, and when they do, every chance you had to tell them that you didn't take will hang around your neck like a noose."

"I can't Karl, I just can't…"

He looked at her for a long moment, he was sure he was radiating disappointment and anger by the look in Kara's eyes. "I've never felt like this before Kara, I'm ashamed to even know you right now." He stormed down the corridor towards CIC before he said anything else.


	3. Chapter 3

Sixteen-hundred hours approached to find Lee Adama reviewing a six-week backlog of reports and flight rosters in a foul mood. His wife had stormed into his office just minutes ago and gone on an unexpected tirade. It seems word had quickly spread that he agreed to baby-sit Kacey while Kara was on CAP and Ana was completely irate about it.

After several ranting minutes however, Lee didn't care what brought the rant on, he was too angry and he'd started yelling back and the fight started in earnest. And as angry as he was for being dressed down for being civil with Kara, he didn't think twice about going for the kill. "I don't see how someone who pursued me while in a relationship with someone already and stringing him along can come down on me and accuse me of cheating."

The words had more than enough effect; Dee scowled and slapped him across the face before she stormed out. Kara found him inspecting the welt left behind by Dee when she dropped Kacey off but didn't comment on it. Kara said good-bye to Kacey with a kiss on the cheek and nodded to Lee before she left the two alone.

Kacey looked up at him with questioning eyes; Lee took a look around the office and sighed. "You know Kacey, my office is pretty boring." He held out a hand which the toddler took after only a brief pause and he said, "We'll go down to Ops Planning, there's at least something I can entertain you with down there."

He grabbed a stack of reports and led her into Ops Planning then took her over to the tactical map. He picked her up and sat her on the map table then switched the table lights on and reached for the models. He plucked three models out of the box, the model Pegasus, Blackbird and a model raptor and placed them in front of Kacey.

Her eyes lit up at what she perceived to be toys and Lee felt an answering smile form on his face. She reminded him a bit of his mother when she smiled like that. He'd heard the rumors that the child was not Kara's and that she was half-Cylon but he doubted them. It was likely she was just a child that had been orphaned on New Caprica only for Leoben to put into Kara's custody to mind-frak her.

It was surprising the way Kara opened her heart to this little girl, and confirmed some of the things he'd always suspected her of being capable of if she gave herself half a chance. Though as charming as Kacey was, Lee imagined it'd be hard not to love her.

He worked on reports while keeping an eye on the girl as she played with the toys and he noticed with a smirk that she seemed to like the Pegasus the most. Unsurprisingly, Kacey eventually tired of the models and turned to him expectantly to entertain him.

His eyes caught on one of the information relay stations and he grinned. "You like to draw, right Kacey?"

She nodded eagerly, "Uh-huh."

He pulled a stool over to the board and then grabbed several different-colored grease pencils and led her over to it, "Now, it's not magic or anything, but I think you might find this pretty neat."

He took a pencil and began to draw an admittedly crude house, "See you draw on the board like this and…" When he finished the house he flipped the switch and the board lit up. "Your drawing glows. Fun?"

He picked her up and helped her stand on the stool; Kacey reached out for a pencil and said, "Uh-huh!" As she started to draw she gave him a questioning look, "'Pol-lo help?"

He shrugged and picked up his own pencil, "You're probably already a better artist than me, but I'll help."

&&&&&&&&&

Kara was quiet during the CAP, Hot Dog twice tried to jar her into a conversation to little avail. Her thoughts were filled with two things; the disgusted look on Karl's face as he stalked away from her and the way Kacey and Lee looked at each other in the corridor and his office that afternoon.

Karl was right of course, Lee was being wronged. By both her and his wife, how could Dee ever think that time spent with Kacey would destroy Lee? How could she ever think knowledge of his daughter wouldn't heal the gaping hole in Lee's heart that was exactly the size of a little girl with her mother's blonde hair and father's innate charisma?

More importantly, how could _she_ agree with Dee?

She knew why, she knew because in those rare moments where she managed to quiet all the lies she told herself to make it through the day, those moments she knew the reason she did every self-destructive thing she'd ever done, fear.

She was desperately afraid that Dee would do what she threatened to do. Take Kacey away from her. She even knew the reason she was afraid of loosing Kacey. It wasn't only the near-crippling idea of loosing this person who'd grown in her heart since the final days of New Caprica to fill it near to bursting today. It was the fear of loosing Lee Adama from her life completely.

Kara had done everything she could over the years to destroy this friendship that was so precious to her, but Lee always came back to her, always saw through the bravado, or the booze-filled rants or the self-destructive impulses, the bullets both figurative and actual that she'd fired at him and into him, just today he'd started the road back to her after she nearly broke him on that forsaken planet a year ago.

This wasn't something even Lee Adama could forgive Kara Thrace, for that matter it wasn't something she would expect to be forgiven for. That bleak thought was the biggest reason she had to tell him, but at the same time it was the main reason that prevented her from telling him.

She was struck silent by her own fears; she couldn't give Kacey up, even at her conscience's expense. She tried to comfort herself with the thought that Karl couldn't understand why she couldn't tell Lee, but they rang hollow even in her thoughts.

She looked up from her post flight inspection when the Chief passed with a mumble of "Heads-up Cap'n, Dee's on the war path."

Her eyes scanned the flight deck and found Dualla stalking across the deck looking about as furious as she'd even seen the junior officer. Unlike her husband or father-in-law the sight of Lt. (JG) Anastasia Dualla on the war path didn't scatter people or inspire descriptive words like "Tirade" they inspired words like "Snit" or "Tantrum."

The knuckle-draggers did make way for her, but then they'd huddle together and laugh. Kara sighed and set her clipboard on the ladder as Dee came to a stop in front of her. The smaller woman fisted her hands on her hips and bit out, "I thought we covered this, Starbuck."

She scowled at her, "I didn't tell him anything, you being a bitch about him babysitting is far more suspicious then me asking for a favor from him while trying to make peace with him."

Her next words were hissed low and dangerously, "I'm warning you, I won't let you take him from me."

Kara stepped forward and loomed over the junior officer, "I don't want to take your frakkin' husband, what I do want is for my daughter to at least know her father. Now, you can either act like a sanctimonious cunt until Lee puts two and two together and losing your husband is the least of your worries or you can act like a human being. I'll leave it up to you."

She grabbed her clipboard and signed-off on her plane then turned on her heel and left Dee fuming on the flight deck.

After a quick shower and getting changed into her blues, she made her way to the CAG's office and found it empty, she walked down to the rec room and asked after Lee. Racetrack and Showboat told her with a pair of wide smiles that they'd seen Lee and Kacey in the war room.

She thanked them and headed in that direction while suppressing a smirk, it seemed that the sight of Apollo with a child, even her child, was enough to give the two pilots ideas. When she came upon the war room she was struck dumb by the sight she found.

Lee and Kacey were at an information relay station drawing on the lit up glass. Kacey was babbling excitedly about the things they were drawing and Lee had a grin on his face as he listened to her and attempted to draw with her. When his eyes found hers he leaned over and whispered to Kacey.

Kacey turned in her direction and squealed at the sight of her mother, with a little assistance from Lee she hopped to the deck and barreled towards Kara. Kara swooped down and scooped Kacey into her arms and gave Kacey a noisy kiss on the cheek, "How's my Crouton?"

Kacey giggled and said, "Mommy! We drew! We drew!"

Kara obliged the girl by walking over to the board and inspected their work. Truth be told she could only barely tell the difference. Not to slight Kacey, even admitting she was biased, Kara was sure that Kacey was one of the most talented two year-old artists she'd even seen but Lee was horrible.

Give him a ruler or two, a piece of graph paper and ask him to draw you a tactical map and Lee will hand you perfection but ask him to draw you a doodle and you should expect stick figures. There were houses and big suns with happy smiles and stick people holding hands and vipers streaking overhead filling that board and Kara smiled as Kacey talked about each image.

When her daughter finally wound down a bit, Kara smiled and said. "So, did you have fun baby?"

A toothy grin was her answer but Kacey still said, "Uh-huh! Can 'Pol-lo play with me, 'gain?" She gave her new friend a hopeful look.

Kara turned to Lee a moment later, "It's up to Apollo sweetie."

Lee had stepped back to the map table while she was talking with Kacey. When he was faced with two hopeful blondes he smiled at Kacey and picked up the model of the Pegasus on the table and crossed the room to her and handed the little girl the model. Kara noticed the way her daughter's eyes lit at the model but Lee said, "I would love to spend time with you Kacey."

Kara smiled at the exchange but raised an eyebrow at the Battlestar Kacey was clutching tightly, "What's this, Crouton?"

She held it out to Lee, "Peg-six!"

Lee nodded then grinned and said, "And what do we tell Mommy and Grandpa about Pegasus, Kacey?"

Kacey frowned in thought for a moment then said, "Peg-six is best!"

He tickled Kacey's tummy then gave Kara a smug grin as the girl giggled happily then nodded, Kara scowled. "You shouldn't corrupt fragile young minds like that, Apollo."

"I can't argue her taste." He winked but winced and touched the welt on his cheek.

Kacey frowned at Kara and said, "'Pol-lo has owwie, Mommy."

He sighed, "That I do, Kacey."

Kara frowned, "I heard Dee was on the war path about you babysitting."

He frowned, "Its bunking in the JOQ that's getting to her, I hope. I mean she's mentioned quite often she doesn't want a child so I guess it could be that she doesn't want me getting ideas."

Kara's hand came out of its own volition and she only managed to reel it back in before it landed on his forearm. "I don't want to cause trouble…"

He laughed, "Don't worry Kara, I'm plenty capable of piii-" He trailed off when Kara cut her eyes to Kacey and Lee corrected himself, "Making her angry all on my own but if I need expert help…"

She smiled and turned to Kacey, "You hear that, Crouton? Mommy's an expert." She gave the girl's tummy a tickle then said. "I'm gonna take Kacey back to our cabin and we're going to have some dinner. We'll leave you to your work."

Lee waved bye-bye to Kacey as they left and Kara carried her to their cabin, once again thankful she'd received them. Families like the Tyrols and her and Kacey got the first shot at cabins while couples like Lee and Dee or Karl and Sharon were quartered with the single officers.

In Karl and Sharon's case it wasn't so bad; they were both pilots and senior officers. Not to mention that anything would be a step up from her cell. Lee and Dee however had a different situation, being assigned different rooms coupled with Lee's duties as CAG left them little time to spend together and even before Dee had learned about Kacey's parentage the situation was putting a noticeable strain on them.

Kara imagined that once the refugee situation was more stable and civilians were once again dispersed through the Fleet Lee and Karl as the two most senior officers in SOQ would get shots at their own cabin. She put those thoughts away as Lee and Dee's troubled marriage was almost literally the last thing she wanted to think about.

She muddled through making a dinner for her and Kacey and got her daughter fed then bathed and put in pajamas. As Kara started to tuck her in, the little girl looked up to her with lidded eyes that reminded her very much of Lee. Since learning she was Lee's daughter, many of Kacey's looks reminded her of Lee or Lee's mother even the Old Man. This one she'd seen plenty of times late at night while he was struggling to finish flight schedules and fight his fatigue.

Kacey gave a wide yawn and whispered, "I like 'Pol-lo."

Kara smiled as she combed her fingers through the toddler's platinum curls, "Me too, baby." She leaned down and pressed her lips to the girl's brow, then added, "But I love you."

Kacey drifted away after mumbling, "Love you, Mommy…"

Kara stayed by Kacey's side as she slumbered happily for almost an hour before she kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her uniform then settled into her own bed for the night. Just before she drifted away completely she caught onto the image of Lee and Kacey drawing together and her dreams painted a picture of how much better it'd be if Lee knew the truth.


	4. Chapter 4

Kara scowled at her pre-flight checklist as though the paper and clipboard had caused her problems and not pure dumb luck.

She'd woke up refreshed and committed to telling Lee about Kacey, Dee be damned. There was no way the lieutenant would be able to separate her from Kacey, Kara simply wouldn't allow it and she knew with just as much certainty that Lee, after being angry for a good long time at her for waiting six weeks to tell him, would eventually realize that while he could be angry with Kara all he wanted he still had a daughter and they'd have to learn to grow up enough to form a functional set of parents for Kacey.

Something about the thought of the no-doubt long and intense confrontation she had coming with Lee energized her. She popped out of bed at the first sound of reveille with a lightness she had almost forgotten and got Kacey up with a grin that matched her daughter's cheery attitude. She should have known who Kacey's father was from the first morning she spent with the girl. Kacey would scramble out of bed with a positively radiant smile ready to play every morning. It should have been a sign as in Kara's experience only a frakking Adama can muster energy and a smile before Oh-six-hundred.

After their breakfast and her bath (which took longer than usual as they had a brief discussion about Pegasus and bathwater) she got Kacey dressed. She was ready to spend the morning and most of the afternoon with Kacey as she'd been on alert for first watch but then off duty for the rest of the day, she'd find Lee after lunch when she knew he was off-duty and she'd tell him about Kacey.

Unfortunately, Redwing had apparently got a hold of a bad MRE the night before and was down with food poisoning. Kara received the call from Cally on the flight deck that her name had come up in his place and she had to scramble for someone to watch Kacey, fortunately Cally mentioned that Galen could at least watch Kacey until Oh-eight-thirty.

She scowled and yanked on her flight-suit quickly then took Kacey to the Chief who told her not to worry and sent her along with a promise to find someone to cover the second half of her CAP.

She glanced up from her clipboard to see Kat with a matching scowl; first CAP was bad enough but first CAP with an unfriendly rival on your wing… Kara smirked slightly at the prospect of frakking with Kat for four hours, maybe she'd take a shot at Hot Dog volunteering for Raptor training with Racetrack, Gods only knew why but Katraine was harboring a crush on Costanza.

It might be immature and probably not the best example to set for a toddler, but sometimes you had to take what entertainment you could get in this life. As she signed off on her bird, she mumbled into her clipboard, "Maybe this CAP won't be completely shitty, after all."

Ten minutes later, their Mark IIs were in the air and beginning their circuit of the Fleet. Kara was flying lead and Kat was tucked in perfectly with her, Starbuck shrugged, as much as she might have hated Kat the woman was probably one of three or four pilots Kara felt at ease with on her wing.

Kat's voice crackled across the wireless, "_So Starbuck, we haven't seen you much around the rec room… How's parenting working out for ya?_"

Kara was actually surprised at the relatively civil tone; trust Kat to take all the fun out of being a bitch. "Just fine, Kat. It's like training a nugget only I don't have to change diapers."

Kat replied with a chuckle before she managed to say, "_Well, I guess that's true. Chuckles did have some bad days, Hot Dog too._"

They passed the Rising Star and Kara watched Kat kick in the burn and begin a trick maneuver, with a smirk she followed the younger pilot in and performed a complimentary trick before they continued on. After so long on the run, the passengers on the civvies ships probably didn't watch anymore but it still felt good for the pilots to stretch their legs every once in a while.

Kat spoke up again, "_A friendly request?_"

Kara took a moment to look over at Kat and felt her eyebrow arching quizzically, "From you?"

Kat shook her head, "_Narcho actually._"

"All right, I'll bite."

"_Narcho would like it if you didn't let the CAG parade around the halls with your kid. He said the looks on Sweetness and _ _Sheba__'s faces alone were frightening._ _Probably afraid Apollo holding a kid will give some of the female pilots bad ideas._"

Kara couldn't help but laugh at that, she was about to give a sarcastic reply when three raiders showed up on DRADIS, instantly she and Kat were all business, "Galactica/Starbuck, three raiders inbound, moving to intercept. Time to target two minutes."

She banked her viper and kicked in the burn to move after the bogies with Kat right behind her.

&&&&&&&&&

Karl Agathon was a good listener, it was part of the reason he was able to count two of the most temperamental pilots in the history of the Colonial Fleet as friends. He was able to step back and just observe things as they played out and determine what was happening.

It helped at the Triad table, he didn't have to play with people more than a few hands before he could pick all but the most experienced players' tells. In a way, it helped in the cockpit as part of the job of an ECO was the well being of the bus driver. He remembered keeping Boomer from having a nervous breakdown after Vigilante squadron was shot down the day of the Attacks. He'd even made use of listening skills as the Interim-XO. He'd heard the mumblings that the CIC seemed a little more manageable with him in place of Tigh, he did his best to discourage that attitude but it persisted.

Listening in this context was more than hearing what people were saying, it was observing the way they acted. For example; Lieutenant Dualla was tenser than Karl could ever remember seeing her. She looked as though she didn't take the hanger out of her uniform this morning and the second Hoshi informed her to scratch Redwing and put Starbuck on the board for the first CAP of the morning it looked like the former communications officer had been slapped across the face.

Like the way Lee looked when he returned to the bunkroom the night before, though in Apollo's case it looked literal, he had a faint bruise on his cheek that Sharon noted looked suspiciously like the palm of a woman's hand. The rumors of a ranting junior officer storming the ship looking for Apollo and Starbuck yesterday did a lot to add to that impression.

Karl knew that Lee had watched Kacey last night, the fact that he returned to his bunk with a welt on his face the night before was what finally started to clue Karl in to what was going on right in front of him:

Kara wouldn't tell Lee about Kacey and she was actually too frightened to do so…

The Old Man was apparently under the impression his son knew but was taking things slowly…

Dee went into a snit as soon as she heard word of Lee spending time with the girl…

Lee and Dee must have argued to the point of the rather passionless junior officer striking her husband…

This morning Dee looked more stressed than before and it only ramped up further when Starbuck was scheduled for CAP while Lee was off duty…

Dee had somehow-strong armed Kara into keeping Kacey away from Lee and Karl was going to find out for sure. He casually stepped over to Flight Ops and stood next to Dee, "A word, Lieutenant?"

She turned to him with a scowl, "Yes, sir?"

He led her to a more private corner of the deck before he spoke, "What the frak did you say to Kara?"

The Sagitarron woman's eyes narrowed at him and she hissed out, "How dare you-"

His suspicions were confirmed at that moment, "Save it! You're toying with the life of your own frakking husband and I want to know why, right now."

She attempted an imposing pose but the more he thought about what Dee and Kara were doing to Lee, the more he began to identify with Lee as a father and the angrier he became as a result. His mind just kept replaying his few memories of Hera and he wouldn't allow Lee to go through anything like what he did, even if he had to throttle the CAG's wife to do it.

Dee wasn't backing down however, "This is none of your concern Helo and if you don't back the frak off, I'll file charges of harassment-"

Karl smirked, "Go ahead, I'll play along." He gave her a scoffing laugh then walked over to the wireless receiver on the wall. He picked it up, "In fact, I'll call the Admiral for you." He then felt a mock-sympathetic expression mar his features and his tone turned sardonic, "Of course, when you file the harassment charges you'll have to tell the Admiral that you're lying to your husband and intimidating Kara into keeping silent about Kacey but I'm sure the Old Man will side with you."

He made to press a button on the console and Dee stepped over to him and yanked it out of his hand, "You bastard, you have no right to interfere in _my_ marriage!"

Karl shook his head angrily, "From where I'm standing, you don't have a marriage you have a lie and it's one I won't allow you to continue. Lee deserves better than that, especially from you."

She folded her arms across her chest and scowled, "And I'm sure you think Starbuck can give that to him! You pilots always look out for each other, Karl looks out for Kara, Kara looks out for Lee, Lee looks out for Kara, and the Old Man looks out for Sharon. The only one of the four of you who shouldn't be in the brig is Lee. A mutinous bitch, a Toaster and a Toaster Frakker and you have the gall to look down your nose at me?"

Karl scowled, "This has nothing to do with Kara, this is about you lying to your husband."

Dee was about to reply but Lieutenant Thornton called out from Tactical, "Contact!"

Karl returned to his post at the Tac Table and spoke, "SitRep."

The tactical officer looked up from his station and said, "Three bogies just showed up, CBDR."

Hoshi called out from Communications, "Kat and Starbuck are moving to intercept."

Karl frowned as he looked at the DRADIS; something was out of the ordinary. "Get the Admiral up here, Action Stations." He picked up the wireless handset at the Tac Table and pressed the intercom button, "This is the XO. Action Stations, set Condition One Throughout the ship. I repeat, set Condition One throughout the ship, this is not a drill." He continued to look at the display until what he was seeing registered and he had to stifle a smirk.

Almost by magic, Adama appeared at the hatch and crossed the distance between them quickly, "What's the problem?"

Dee called out from Flight Ops, "Three Raiders, CBDR bearing one-four-five carom thirty-three."

Karl nodded, like Dee he'd shifted into all business the second the raiders appeared on DRADIS, "This isn't their standard wedge formation, either."

Adama nodded and said, "Where's the CAP?"

Dee spoke again, "Starbuck and Kat are en route and will intercept in ninety-eight seconds, sir. They're reporting gun fire between the Raiders; it appears to be a pursuit."

Adama only raised an eyebrow and spoke to the display above him more than to anyone, "A pursuit?"

Karl grinned and replied, "Yes sir. We've got two raiders chasing a third."

&&&&&&&&&

Lee was in his office when someone knocked on his hatch, but before could look up and give them permission to enter one of his visitors squealed, "'Pol-lo!"

Lee grinned at Kacey and waved the pair in, which was a mere formality for Kacey as she tore her hand out of the Chief's and bounded across the room to Lee's side. As he got out of his chair, Kacey hopped around him and all but chanted, "Gimme hug!"

She held her arms out to him and Lee kneeled down and obliged her, then spoke to the Chief, "What's going on?"

Lee knew Kara was forced by Redwing's food poisoning to take his turn at CAP, but he had to wonder why Kacey was here now. Galen shrugged, "I have to be on the deck in ten minutes and Cally mentioned dropping her off with you loud enough for the munchkin to hear and she would accept nobody else."

Lee grinned and hauled Kacey over his shoulder as he stood. The girl shrieked in delight as she hung upside-down over her new friend's shoulder, "'Pol-lo! Down!"

Lee feigned ignorance as he spun around the office and said, "Kacey? Where are you? Kaa-cccey!"

Kacey started laughing even harder and flailed her little arms around, "Here! 'Pol-lo! I here!"

He turned to the Chief with a laugh, "Hey Chief, where did Kacey go?"

Galen smirked at the pair, "I see she's in good hands." He then ducked out of the office to leave the pair alone, but Lee heard him say something about Cally being right as he left.

Lee swung the toddler around back into his arms and cried out, "There you are!"

Kacey giggled and threw her arms around his neck in a vice-like hug. That was when the klaxon started and Karl's voice camp of the PA calling the ship to Condition One. He walked back behind his desk and picked up the phone and called the flight deck. Laird picked up and Lee said, "This is the CAG, SitRep." Laird told him about the inbound Raiders. Lee scowled and told his former deck chief that he was unable to get down to the deck then he ordered the Alert Fighters into the tubes then hung up.

He moved over to the couch, he sat Kacey down next to him and tried to pretend he wasn't worried about the girl's mother. Kacey grabbed his hand and began to thumb wrestle him, he smirked as she mimicked Kara by sticking tongue out the side of her lips as she concentrated on wrestling him. That's how Kara found them later. Once again he marveled at the way Kara's face lit up at the sight of the little girl.

For her part, Kacey stood up on the couch and launched herself at her mother, Kara caught her easily, "Oof! Kacey did you and Apollo have a good time?"

She nodded while Lee got to his feet, Kara smiled at him strangely and said, "This is beginning to be a thing, pretty soon you'll be taking her on morning runs and getting her help with the flight schedule."

He smirked, "Well, she has better penmanship than you."

Kara narrowed her eyes and mouthed, "Frak off."

He chuckled then said, "Y'know Kara, she looks a bit like you when she's concentrating."

She smiled and then gave him that strange look again, "Funny, I think she looks like her father."

She might have said more had he not been paged to his father's cabin. He was intrigued by the way Kara was acting, he'd noticed a lot of people looking at him funny since he and Karl came back from the Astral Queen and he wanted to figure out why. He actually ignored the first page and was about to ask what was going on when the second page came. He scowled and picked up the wireless to tell CIC he'd report to the Admiral right away.

He left with an apologetic smile and made his way quickly to the Admiral's quarters. When he entered he found his father looking through a photo album with a haunted look, "Hey, I-ah came as soon as I could. I was… I was watching Kacey while Kara was on CAP. Sorry."

His father was added to the list of people looking at him cock-eyed when he looked him over with a wistful smile and said, "Never apologize for that Lee, family is important."

Lee frowned at him but waved off the comment when he noticed the open bottle of whiskey on the desk, "Did you need something, sir?"

He crossed the room, picking up his bottle and tumbler then sat on the couch. He gestured towards the chair across from him and said, "Sit down, it's time we talked."


	5. Chapter 5

The raptor cleared Galactica and from the pilot seat Lee keyed his mic; "Galactica/Apollo; Raptor Two-seven-niner away, setting course for Colonial One with the President, ETA sixteen minutes."

Hoshi replied over the speaker, "_Roger that Apollo._"

After pressing a few controls, Lee turned back to look at his ECO and the two passengers in the back, Tory was hard at work on some bit of Presidential business and Skulls was monitoring the DRADIS while the President herself was looking rather bored in the jumpseat while she stared out the portal.

Lee flipped a few controls and set the co-pilot controls to stand-by and called back, "Madam President?"

She looked up with a hint of a smile, "I was wondering if you might want to take in the view from up here?" With a grin Skulls held out his hand to help her up and she made her way forward to sit in the co-pilot's seat. She looked the controls over, "Don't worry, I've shut off your controls."

She gave him an amused chuckle and said, "And here I thought I'd finally get to see what you and Captain Thrace had been raving about."

He grinned, "Not today Madam President, I'm afraid Skulls has a weak constitution."

She looked the Fleet with a wistful expression as Lee made a pass of the Greenleaf, "I understand that you've asked the Greenleaf to be converted into a school."

Roslin nodded, "Yes, I think it's important that we regain some sense of normality, it was why I started the school down on New Caprica. We're still in the early stages but by the time Captain Thrace's daughter is ready to start school she'll have a school to go to…" She grinned ruefully, "Well, I hope so at least, bureaucracy is bureaucracy after all."

It was a moment that reminded Lee of their once strong friendship which is why he replied, "Thank the Lords, as I can only imagine what Kacey would be like if she was home-schooled."

Roslin shrugged, "She could field-strip an assault rifle in less than thirty seconds."

Lee laughed before a companionable silence settled over the cabin. It was a memory of times long gone, when Cain and stolen elections and New Caprica didn't cast a shadow over them. Before Lee committed mutiny in her name on Colonial One and then again when he snuck her off the Galactica. When she was still a President he believed in and he was still "Captain Apollo."

Disillusionment was a hard price to pay for knowledge and experience.

Roslin looked out over the Fleet then said, "I've noticed how much Kacey's changed Captain Thrace." She turned to give him a sly smile, "Your father as well."

He grinned, "He treats Kacey like she's his own grand-daughter. It's good, Dee doesn't…" He trailed off uncomfortably; he didn't want his dirty laundry out in the open. He'd once told Dee about Gianne and she'd stated emphatically since then that she didn't want children. At first he thought she'd been telling him what he wanted to hear at the time but the more often she told him and the way she reacted to him merely spending time with Kacey…

He took note of the look of sympathy she gave him as he adjusted their course slightly. "Perhaps she is just afraid of having children now, while things are changing so much and so fast. Give her time, Major."

&&&&&&&&&

Bill tried to concentrate on the reports in front of him, but he found his attention lingering on the rag doll on the nearby couch. Normally the sight of his granddaughter's toys scattered about would have brought a smile to his face and the urge to page Kara and have her bring Kacey over for some "Gappa" time.

However, Danny's reappearance had turned thoughts his of Kacey in a dark direction. What kind of man was he? He had helped get Kacey's mother killed, if he hadn't accepted that mission perhaps the Cylons wouldn't have attacked and Lee and Gianne might have reconciled. They might have gotten married and been raising Kacey on Caprica.

Lee might not have been as close to him, but the thought of an estranged son married with a daughter he'd known from birth on Caprica was so much better than a son he was close to just now getting to know that same daughter…

The buzzing of his phone drew his thoughts away from Kacey; he picked up the receiver and growled out, "Adama."

A petty officer's voice came through from the other end, "_Sir, you have an urgent call from Lieutenant Novacek._"

He pulled his glasses off and slapped the report closed, "Put him through."

A few moment's later, he heard a distressed Bulldog, "_Bill?_"

He felt an eyebrow arch at the pilot's tone, "Danny?"

"_I need to see you Bill, right away._"

Bill had already stood by the time he said, "I'm on my way."

&&&&&&&&&

With the flip of a few switches, Lee completely powered down the raptor's engines and he and Skulls began their post-flight inspection. The ECO called out, "We've still got that yellow indicator on the starboard attitude thruster."

Lee checked his panel and found the corresponding indicator on his panel, "Confirmed. Give it a visual inspection, Hamish."

The ECO nodded and ducked out of the hatch as Lee completed his checklist then exited the raptor as well. Almost the instant his boots touched the deck, Kara called out to him. He looked up and found her charging across the deck with what looked to be recon photos in her hand. "I need you to see these."

She led him off the flight-deck and into the ready room before she shoved the photos into his hands. He scanned through them to see captures from her gun-cam. It was footage of the raiders chasing Bulldog.

His trained eye instantly picked up on the story the images were telling, "Am I seeing this?"

Kara pointed towards the shots, "They've got him saddled up and dead to rights. He's smoking and flying straight and level. A first-flight nugget could make this kill."

Lee flipped through the photos more rapidly, "They could have splashed him any time they wanted. They let him escape."

His mind was whirling with possibilities, "Lee, the Cylons don't do a frakking thing without a reason, why would they do this?" Instead of waiting for an answer, she continued on. "He told the Old Man that they held him prisoner for years on that Base Ship. How did he get free?"

Lee frowned in thought, "He'd said they were sick, a virus…"

Kara shook her head, "How many viruses do these things have? It _could_ be that they had the same virus or-"

Lee nodded; he was on the exact page Kara was now. "-Or they could have fed him a story they knew we'd buy then dropped him in our laps. Held prisoner for years, then he conveniently escapes and just finds his way to us. No reason to be here, no agenda…"

Kara looked at him and it clicked for him, Novecek's appearance and the set up to get him here finally connected with the conversation his father had with him about the mission at the Armistice Line. "They want him to find out."

Kara scowled at him, "What?"

Lee shook himself out of his thoughts and said, "Who have you showed these to?"

Kara said, "You. I tried to talk to Tigh but he was passed out drunk and the Old Man didn't respond to my page. I've been waiting almost an hour for you to get back to Galactica."

Lee pulled his sidearm and Kara tensed, "Let's go."

The pair exited the ready room, now all business. As they passed Hot Dog, Lee told him to page Marines and Cottle to Bulldog's quarters without breaking stride. When they came upon Novacek's cabin they found the hatch wide open. Lee clicked off the safety and chambered a round then entered the room.

Lee found the room trashed, blood was on the wall and the deck and Bulldog was holding a steel table leg to his father's throat. His face was bloodied and battered and his eyes were rolling around in their sockets. Bulldog was muttering over and over again, "I won't let you mess with my head…"

Kara covered him as Lee crept up on him; the pilot was so focused on choking the life from the Admiral that Lee could have stomped over to him. Lee cocked his gun hack and swung striking Bulldog across the base of the skull.

The pilot slumped over to the ground, completely unconscious. Lee trained his weapon on the slumped pilot and called out "Officer Down!"

Kara stepped back into the corridor and repeated the call. The marines arrived and secured the room, Lee then turned to his father. He kneeled down next to him and whispered, "Dad? Dad!" As the Old Man's eyes fluttered closed Lee was struck by a flashback to the last time he'd seen his father hurt. Suddenly they were in CIC and his father's blood was everywhere as he bled out on the TAC table. It covered his hands and arms and Lee froze completely.

He wasn't sure how long he sat at his father's side before Cottle arrived but events began to blur as the medical team quite literally shoved him aside and began to work on the Admiral. The last thing he felt was Kara's hand on his shoulder as they placed a BVM over his father's face, then Lee felt numbness settle over him.

&&&&&&&&&

When Lee finally began to return to life he was in Medical. Kara was gone and he had a vague recollection of her saying she had to get back to Kacey. Dee was standing at his side but he didn't care about her presence as he was focused solely on the curtained off area that contained his father.

His mind kept mingling the image of his father in Bulldog's quarters and him bleeding to death in CIC. Rationally he knew that his father's injuries weren't as severe this time and he'd had access to medical treatment far sooner then when he was shot but that part of his mind that had never forgotten what it was like to nearly lose the last of his family to death took hold of him and until he could see his father, alive and if not healthy then conscious he wasn't sure that part would ever let go of him.

He felt Dee's hand on his shoulder and he flinched, "Lee? Lee maybe you should-"

He pinned her with a glare more suited for an insubordinate pilot than his wife and her mouth shut with an audible click, his glare continued until she was nearly squirming. His voice was clipped and icy when he said, "I won't leave him. Not now, not ever. Until I know he's going to be okay, this is where I'll be."

Her eyes hardened in reply, "Don't talk to me like I'm some nugget! I'm your wife and I'm just trying to think of you."

"I'm not important right now Dee, he is. I left his side once when he was hurt, I left his side when he tried to go back and save our friends and family, I won't leave now."

Ana's look immediately softened at his words and she smiled. "I'm sorry, Lee. I just don't want you suffering like this; you're the most important thing in my life." She tugged at her tunic, "I have to get back up to CIC, I want you to promise that won't run yourself into the ground. The Admiral- _Your father_ will get through this, okay?"

When he gave her a jerky nod, she smiled reassuringly then squeezed his forearm one more time before she left sickbay.

Lee lost all track of time until he turned to find Karl and the President entering sickbay. Roslin came over to him looking extremely distraught, "I came as soon as Captain Agathon called, how is he?"

Lee frowned, "I haven't heard from Cottle yet."

Karl then spoke, "We've got Lieutenant Novacek in the brig awaiting charges. Captain Thrace says she and the Major believe that the Cylons intentionally let him go, probably hoping for this result."

Roslin nodded then turned back to Lee, "Are you alright?"

He shook her concern off, "I'm more worried about him."

Silence settled over the trio again and they all turned their attention to curtained off bed. Finally, Cottle emerged and crossed the room to them. The grizzled CMO looked each of them over before he finally settled his eyes on Lee, "Before you get overly dramatic with me, he's stable but Bulldog did a frakking number on him."

Roslin was the one to speak, "What are his injuries?"

Cottle led them over to an illuminated board and attached several X-rays to it. He then pointed to each in turn as he spoke, "Hairline fractures of the jaw as well as the skull and his right orbital bone, two broken ribs, a laceration on the kidneys and partially ruptured spleen. What worries me is the possible brain damage."

Lee frowned, "'Possible brain damage?'"

Cottle grimaced, "He's in a coma." Lee surged towards his father but Cottle caught his arm. "Going in there won't change anything, so stick around and listen." The viper pilot scowled at him, but Cottle was undeterred. "He's in a coma, but it's highly likely he'll come out of it soon enough."

Lee's head was swimming as he found a stool to settle onto heavily. When Roslin spoke, the blood roaring in his ears made her sound strange. "With the Admiral unable to perform his duties, Colonel Tigh will have to return to duty and assume command as the ranking officer."

Karl scowled, "Then we have a problem. When he heard what happened to the Admiral… Colonel Tigh tendered his resignation officially. He packed up his things and left Galactica twenty minutes ago."

Roslin frowned and looked towards the Admiral's bed. Time passed in strained silence before she turned to Lee. "Then we don't have much choice. Captain Agathon, I'm hereby promoting you to the rank of Major and naming you Galactica's XO officially. Major Adama, as the ranking officer with command experience after Colonel Tigh, I'm placing you in command until such time that the Admiral can return to duty."

Lee started to protest when Roslin stepped to his side and whispered, "I need you, Lee. He needs you to do this. Keep his crew together."

He stood up straight, his chin tilting up as he shouldered the responsibilities of the Fleet.

&&&&&&&&&

Fifteen days passed since that day in sickbay and Lee had taken temporary command of the Galactica. His father took six days to regain consciousness, and Cottle had reported that he was relatively uninjured. He had a concussion but very little brain damage, there was no sign of memory problems and the CMO said that he'd be able to return to extremely limited duty a few days ago. He hadn't returned to CIC and Lee was still in day-to-day command but Bill was able to hold short daily briefings with his department heads.

Kat had taken temporary command of the Air Group while Kara and Kacey had devoted themselves to the Admiral. First by keeping vigil and later by spending time with him and help his spirits.

Lee had quickly readjusted to the rigors of command, he spent much of the day in CIC and he and Karl did their best to keep the crew strong and functional after the hammer blow of loosing their Commanding Officer even for a time. Roslin was right, the crew had been teetering, they'd been caught in a perpetual struggle with death and loss for well over a year only to be taunted with freedom from it but New Caprica had made things even worse. Lee wouldn't allow them to give up; he wouldn't allow them to fracture.

Which was why he stood on the flight deck as the Chief oversaw the construction of a boxing ring. He'd been talking with Karl in CIC a few days ago when he was struck with the idea and said, "Karl, I want to have a Dance."

The XO turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "You sure?"

He nodded, then stepped closer, "Take a look around Karl, this place is coming apart."

He looked over the CIC with a frown, "You think that us pounding the crap out of each other will fix it?"

Lee smiled, "When I was fifteen, my parents got divorced. For months during the proceedings things were tense to the point of breaking, then one day Zak took my bike and wrecked it. He was twelve at the time. When I found out, Zak and I ended up in a fight, things were better between us. Sometimes it helps when a family just says enough and has it out in their back yard." Karl gave him a skeptical look but Lee smirked and said, "Trust me Karl, this will help."

He at least hoped it would.

The Chief had been overseeing the construction of the ring; he looked up and saw Lee on deck. Galen stepped up to Lee with a grin, "We had a bit of a mildew problem with the canvas but the ring's in good shape, Major."

Lee nodded, "Good to hear, Chief."

The deck chief grinned, "A lot of the knuckle-draggers are pretty hyped about this Major, this is the most upbeat I've seen a lot of people since before the Attacks."

Lee nodded in agreement, "Good."

"Will you be taking part sir?"

He chuckled, "I doubt it, Chief."

He sighed, "That's too bad. No offense sir, but a lot of people were looking forward to putting you or Starbuck on their dance card and neither of you are gonna enter the Dance?"

He laughed loudly this time, "Sorry Chief, it wouldn't be proper for the acting CO to beat the shit out of the crew." Galen laughed and Lee waved as he left the deck only to be paged to the Admiral's Cabin a moment later.

When he arrived he found his father, Karl and the President as well. After the others left the cabin, Bill motioned to the chair across from him on the desk, "Have a seat, Major." His father's words and tone immediately told him this was business. He crossed the room and took the offered seat Bill then handed him a folder marked "Classified." As Lee broke the tape sealing the folder his father began, "Six hours ago, a Cylon surrendered himself to the captain of the Chrion. He claimed he had extensive information on Cylon Fleet movement for us. He was brought aboard Galactica and told us he would volunteer his information freely, his only condition was that he would name the officer who questioned him."

Lee looked up, "Who?" He opened the folder and already knew. He found a picture of a short-haired blond man staring back at him, Leoben Conoy. "He can't be allowed to talk to Kara."

Bill replied, "I agree. Conoy named two officers, Kara and yourself. I want you to question him, but be extremely careful. The most dangerous lie anyone can tell you is one that's also true. He excels at it, don't listen to a word he says or he'll have you too turned around to think. Get the information about their Fleet movements then throw him out the airlock; don't let him get in your head." Lee nodded but Bill pinned him with a look, "Don't let what he's done to Kara get to you either, he can use that against you to."

Lee nodded, "Alright. By your leave, Admiral?"

Bill nodded and Lee stood up, when he was almost to the hatch Bill called out again, "Son?"

Lee turned and his father came around his desk and over to him, he was still weak looking to Lee, but the grip he took Lee's arm in was like iron, "Be careful, I don't trust this one. For him to ask about you scares the frak outta me." He nodded then left his father's cabin.


	6. Chapter 6

Leoben was being held in Sharon's old cell under marine guard and monitored strictly by another marine with access to environmental controls. If the Cylon were to overpower the guards, the third would immediately turn the cell into a vacuum. They were taking no chances on him, they couldn't afford to.

Lee stood outside the cell block with Sharon, hoping to get some insight into the Cylon beyond what his father had told him. "What can you tell me about him, Sharon?"

The raptor pilot frowned in thought for a moment before she said, "Leoben's model was designed after the smugglers and gun runners of the outer colonies, but they fancy themselves philosophers. They like to believe that they are masters of observing patterns; patterns of nature, of thought, of events. They tend to think of the universe in terms of a river or stream.

"They're obsessed with prophecy and the cyclical nature of the Koboli faith. They will spend days listening to the half-mad ramblings of the hybrids on our Base Ships, trying to find meaning in what they say because they believe that madness is a view into God's plan."

Lee took in her words, "Is this why they're obsessed with Kara?"

Sharon gave him a troubled look, "They believe that Kara is instrumental in the events described in Pythia. They believe that she has a destiny yet to come and that they are somehow linked to it. They know everything there is to know about Kara Thrace and they seem to believe that because they've devoted themselves to her that it gives them a claim over her. They love her in the most perverted meaning of the word, Lee.

"But as much as they know about her, if he's asking for you it can only mean they know something about you. He'll have done his homework, and he's a master of reading people, don't let him get in your head Lee because everything he reveals to you is either a lie wrapped in truth or a truth wrapped in a lie and you'll spend the rest of your life trying to figure out which is which."

He felt a morbid grin stretch his features, "Well, I'm starting to regret agreeing to this."

She smiled, "Major, if there's one man in the Universe stubborn enough to go toe-to-toe with Leoben and hard-headed enough not to listen to him, it's you."

He gave her his best boyish grin, "I'm not sure that was a compliment."

She shrugged, "I know it wasn't." She became serious then, "Would you like me to go in with you?"

Lee frowned, "Would you think less of me if I said 'yes?'"

Surprisingly, Sharon shook her head. "No sir."

He looked between the hatch and Sharon for a few moments before he finally said, "No, I will handle this." Sharon gave him an encouraging look before he turned and pushed the hatch open and stepped inside.

He could see a table set up in the middle of the cell, with a blonde head bowed in contemplation seated on one side and an empty chair in front of him. One of the marines was posted inside the cell at the door while the other was standing outside of the cell.

He crossed the room and the marine inserted his key into the door then opened it. Lee stepped through and Leoben looked up with a smile that was equal measures serene and smug. His grey-blue eyes tracked Lee as he moved to the table and took a seat in front of him and the two men engaged in an impromptu stare-down as Lee set the recorder on the table between them.

Seconds ticked away unnoticed as Lee matched Kara's tormentor's grin with his own game face. Lee's smug smirk answered Leoben as each man seemed to want to wait for the other man to speak first. For Lee it was simple psychology, he'd learned years ago during POW training that in these situations speaking first was conceding dominance to the other.

It was just too bad that someone seemed to have told Leoben this as well.

A fundamental problem with the silent treatment was that it required a certain degree of patience and Lee was not known for his patience. So, he was absolutely ready to burst when the Cylon finally broke the stalemate. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Major." His lips peeled from his teeth as he gave Lee a truly disturbing smile. "I've heard so much about you."

Lee merely leaned back in his chair, "I'm sure you have."

The Cylon chuckled, "Excellent, you've done research. I would hate for you to be unprepared for me." He did his best to mimic Lee's nonchalant posture but was troubled by the heavy manacles binding him. "Though, to be honest, as interesting as our time together will be I had been hoping to speak with Captain Thrace instead. How is she?"

Lee was proud of himself when he spoke in a completely neutral tone, "Captain Thrace is none of your concern."

The skinjob nodded sagely, "Alright, I'll accept that. I suppose it wouldn't be in your best interests to put Kara in a room with me, now would it?"

Lee dropped his smirk in favor of a more stern expression, "Let's cut the crap. You volunteered to give us your intel if I came down and questioned you so here I am."

Leoben smiled, "In time Major, in time. First I'd like to discuss a few things."

Lee chuckled in a mocking fashion, "Wait, let me guess? You're going to pontificate on the subject of God deciding that humanity was unworthy of His love and deciding to start over again with the Cylons. Are you going to put forth that we are somehow deserving of you nuking several billion unsuspecting civilians to death on an otherwise ordinary morning?

"Or maybe, you're going to rant and rave about streams and destiny and quote our own scripture to try and dazzle me. 'All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again…' Frankly, you need some more material."

Leoben was undeterred, "You're role is a mystery Major. Through each cycle of events most of our roles have remained unchanged, most of the time we've played the same parts with only minor variations. Not you, though. Through each cycle, you've been a wild element. Sometimes you've kept Kara from me and other times, you've delivered her to me freely. We've been both mortal enemies and the best of friends."

The pilot smirked, "Take a guess at what we are this time."

The Cylon met his smirk with one of his own, "I would think that would be self-evident."

Lee replied, "If you don't have anything original to say, I'll just ask Sergeant Venner to escort you to the nearest airlock and be done with you."

He rose to his feet and picked up the recorder and started to turn when Leoben struck him immobile with just fourteen words, "You were physically and psychologically abused by your mother from the age of ten."

He felt Venner's eyes lock onto him but Lee's eyes were boring into the blue-grey depths in front of him as he tried to figure out how he knew. Leoben smirked, "Do I have your attention now, Major?"

Slowly, Lee sat back down and the blond continued, "Of course, things weren't that great for you from the start. A part of you had always felt somehow unwanted, a burden left upon two people who didn't really love each other." He gave the man a sympathetic expression then said, "Though there may be some truth to that. Did you know that your father had already lost the woman who was the love of his life long before he met your mother?

"She was a raptor pilot who served with him on this ship during the war, she died in final battle of the war and your father spent the ten years that followed absolutely heart-broken, until he met your mother." He leaned forward and adopted a conversational pose, "For a while it was good between them, she was young and care-free and your father thrived on that because he'd grown to feel old before his time but it had grown to sour and they were both contemplating moving on when she became pregnant with you.

"Despite your father's agnosticism, he refused to leave your mother when she was with child so they got married and her father used some connections to get Adama back into the service to help provide better for you. Again, for a while things were good between them but the strain of an unexpected family with a woman he wasn't devoted to took its toll on your father so he took a deep space assignment on Atlantia.

"Like the strain of their relationship weighed heavily on your father, so did his absence take its toll on your mother. She was detached with you even as an infant, you may not know it, but your entire destiny was forged in those first months. Time passed and it seemed both your mother and father were considering going their separate ways but each wanted to at least try to make it work for your sake so they tried to recommit to each other.

"Your younger brother Zak was born a few months later, you were still little more than a toddler but even then you noticed how different they were with Zak. How much more effortless it was for your mother to care for Zak, and how your father seemed to make time to come home and visit his youngest son. As a result, you became more difficult and detached from them and the first seeds of resentment were planted within you; resentment towards your parents for seeming to love Zak more than you."

Leoben's voice turned accusatory, "Resentment towards Zak for bringing your parents together when you couldn't."

"Finally, you began to resent yourself for not being Zak." He looked at him more inquisitively, "What must that be like for a small boy? To feel that every bit of pain in your family is somehow your fault, how did you endure that?" The false sympathy from the Cylon was the only thing that kept Lee from screaming at him to shut up.

Instead, Lee locked everything down until he was a wall of ice, "Do you think by telling me things about my childhood while feigning understanding will do anything to keep you getting thrown out the airlock?"

Leoben sighed, "No Major, I've accepted that I'll soon die and download into a new body. I'm here to try to understand the patterns. After the Attack, I confronted your father. He was the first to see our plan, our attempt to transcend circuit and metal in favor of flesh and blood.

"Your father has an intriguing mind, one would expect someone like him to be cold and remote but he has a philosophical streak. Is that because of his father, Joseph Adama was an attorney was he not?" Despite himself, Lee nodded mutely. "You were right, Major. The Admiral and I did discuss God, Man and the Cylons. We discussed many topics in a tangential fashion; many accusations were made in a round-about way. He was distrustful of me-"

Lee cocked his head, "Rightfully so."

The Cylon seemed to concede that point before he continued, "But under the surface, I know he had spent the forty years between the end of the First War and the Attack trying to understand what he saw. Perhaps that's why he lied to your people about Earth. Perhaps, on some level, he knew what was coming and accepted his role in events.

"As for Kara, she's full of doubt and guilt. She's never been able to learn to accept death or pain and therefore she can't recognize joy or peace. She fights all the time; she fights those who love her, she fights those who hate her, most of all she fights herself. Every moment for Kara is a struggle."

Leoben then sank back into his chair and looked Lee over as though it was the first time, "Perhaps that was why you and Kara are so connected to each other. Pain calls out to pain; even now I can see the same restlessness in you that I see in Kara." His head cocked and he smirked, "Is it because of your abusive childhood?"

Lee felt his hands clench into white-knuckled fists, "You were fifteen when you parents' marriage came apart at the seams. She filed for divorce on their anniversary, showing that spiteful streak you would soon experience first hand. You father didn't fight her, not even when she demanded sole-custody. He merely buried himself in his duties. Your mother had been drinking pretty heavily for years and her anger had long since turned towards you and Zak."

"You protected your brother that you resented for his very existence from your mother's anger. You shielded him and kept him oblivious; you stepped into father's place and took all of the anger she had. Zak grew up happy and unaware of all the suffering and pain around him while you turned into a brooding adolescent and eventually a closed-off man.

"But it didn't end there, the happiness you helped to provide Zak made your mother's abuse of you even more pronounced. You began to hate Zak, you began to hate everyone. You no longer trusted anyone because no one even bothered to see that Lee Adama was suffering."

Lee stood up angrily, "I've heard enough."

The Cylon was undaunted, "I don't think you have. I think it's time you faced who you are."

Again they were locked in a standoff, but this time Lee flinched. He sat down wearily and Leoben began again. "What was that like, Lee? To protect your brother for the same reason you hated him, to shield him from pain when you hated that you suffered while he didn't. Is that why when he died you turned on your parents completely?"

"I didn't-"

"Oh you railed against your father, you cursed his name and everything he held dear, you became a pilot to spite him, you walked onto this very the ship on the day of the Attacks intent showing your father that you were a better pilot then he ever was only to tell him that you quit because you despise the thing he loved most, the Fleet. You wanted him to suffer as much as you did your entire life for just one moment.

"Yes you were the embittered son to your father, but you were just as cruel to your mother. She didn't even hear from you after the funeral, she wrote letter after letter, doing everything she could to try and reach you but you never acknowledged her. How horrible a son you were to them."

He smirked, "'All of this has happened before, all of it will happen again.' Another way of saying that is 'The son becomes the father.' In the days after Zak's death, after you spurned your parents and lost Kara to your father, you met a woman. You were never that great a fit but you stuck with her because it was easy… A year later, you married another woman for the same reason; you've become your father." Leoben smiled serenely, "Now I understand you. This is good, Major. This is very good."

He folded his hands in front of him as best he could then said, "The Cylons have spread out in every direction from New Caprica so they're spread thin. There was a small fleet that had been following you, that's where Lieutenant Novacek and I came from, but I've lost contact with them. You make have lost them, that's all the information I can give you."

Lee scowled darkly; Leoben had put him all that to tell him that they were looking for the Fleet but had lost them? The Cylon's expression was smug as Lee turned off the recorder and stood up, "Put this frakking thing out the airlock."

He turned towards the door and walked away, as he reached the cell door and the guard was opening the door, Leoben said, "I'm hurt Major. Aren't you going to say thank you?"

Lee turned to him with an annoyed frown, "What?"

The Cylon seemed genuinely confused, "I would think you would at least thank me for the gift I gave you."

Annoyance gave way to confusion as Lee stood in the doorway, "What are you talking about?"

Lee watched his tormentor's face change from puzzlement to amusement in an instant, "You don't know about her?"

He stepped out of the doorway and back into the cell, "Know what?"

Leoben smiled widely and chuckled, "Your daughter, Major. I delivered your daughter to you." For just a moment, Lee thought back to things that had plagued his mind for weeks:

Dee's sudden attitude towards him...

Kara's strange behavior in his office two weeks ago when she cryptically spoke of Kacey's father...

His father saying "Family's important..."

Lee's first impression of Kacey… She reminded him of Gianne.

His mouth worked soundlessly for several seconds before he mumbled, "No."

Like a knife, Leoben's voice pierced his heart. "Yes!"

As though struck, Lee reeled backwards and staggered into the wall. The Cylon kept talking, giving voice to his fears one by one. "Kacey is your daughter. I would think Kara would know by now, which begs the question; why is she hiding this from you? Do you think your father knows? Your wife? Your friends? They've known for God knows how long and no one's told you. They've lied to your face for weeks perhaps months… everyone you know has betrayed you, Major." Lee shook with growing rage as Leoben said what would be his final words, "What are you going to do now?"

He felt Venner's hands on him attempting to steady him, but Lee found that the universe had spun off its axis and the deck seemed to lurch wildly to him. His heart was pounding in his ears and an icy line of sweat trickled down his spine. His mind reeling with betrayal, Lee finally managed to right himself. Leoben wanted to know what he'd do, Lee showed him. He let go:

He let go of the wall.

He let go of Venner.

He let go of the recorder and then…

He let go of sanity.

He pulled his sidearm and proceeded to empty the clip into Leoben. He dropped the gun and leapt across the table at him with a roar. He punched and choked and bounced the Cylon's head off the deck again and again. Blood and gore was everywhere as Lee went mad. When Venner had finally pulled the raving officer of the Cylon, he was little more than a bloody mess on the deck.

Lee finally came back from the edge to find Venner yelling in his face, "Major Adama! SIR!" Lee's heavy breathing slowly faded into silence. "He's dead, sir."

Lee nodded jerkily for a few seconds before he said. "I-I… Thank you, Sergeant." The Cylon's words were swirling through his head as he bent over and picked up his sidearm and holstered it. Venner eyed him warily, wondering how the normally unflappable CAG could have been hiding the wild man he'd just subdued.

Lee felt the feral anger that drove him to kill Leoben just now give way to a more calculated fury, ice crystals formed in his veins as he walked out of the cell. He was going to get answers.


	7. Chapter 7

Karl stood in the center of the ring and looked the crowd over before he nodded to Gaeta; the officer picked up his hammer and struck the ring bell three times in quick succession. The boisterous group quieted. "All right, listen up! The Dance is about to begin, rank and position end the second you put your tags in the box. Anyone can challenge another but remember, the fight starts in here and it ends in here as well. Once the final bell rings we all go back to being a single crew."

He waved Laird into the ring, "Captain Laird will referee the first bout." The Chief Engineer stepped through the ropes with a round of good-natured boos and cat calls. He waved to the crowd with a shake of his head. Karl turned to Kelly over at the chalk board where he and Figurski were setting up to run odds, "Now Mr. Kelly, who's up first?"

The LSO checked the roster of fighters and looked up with a smirk, "The Acting CAG herself."

Karl nodded, "Alright Katraine, get your ass up here." Louanne raised her arms over her head triumphantly as she stepped out the crowd and into the ring, Narcho and Skulls stepped up to her corner and helped her on with her gloves. Once they were secure she stepped over to Karl's side and the XO asked. "Who do you want, Kat?"

The woman smirked and said, "Well, since I can't get Apollo or Starbuck in here I'll have to settle for pounding on Racetrack!"

The raptor pilot's callsign got another roar out of the gathered crowd and she bounced into the ring with light feet. As Karl ducked out of the ring he noticed the scowl on Kat's face as Hotdog took up position in Racetrack's corner, it seemed the viper pilot was indeed the object of the pilot's rivalry.

He hit the deck and crossed the room until he stood next to Tyrol, "Looks like we're starting with a good fight, Chief."

The deck hand nods with a grin and offers Karl his flask, the XO took a quick drink while Galen said. "Yep, too bad we can't get Starbuck and Dee down here; we could use a Main Event."

Karl shook his head, "I don't think the Major or the Admiral would care too much for a death match Chief."

The older man laughed and nodded, "Two bad, 'Galactica Championship Cage Fighting Federation' has a nice ring to it."

The former ECO grinned and pretended to mull it over, "We'd be knee-deep in bartered goods, and we'd live like kings."

Galen nodded along and rubbed his hands together in mock-anticipation, "We could split everything right down the middle, sixty/forty."

With a sigh he shook his head, "Maybe when we get to Earth."

Tyrol nodded, "I'll hold you to that."

Seelix stepped over to their side, "Major? Urgent call for you."

Karl nodded and Diana faded back into the crowd while he started towards the wireless. He picked up the receiver, "Agathon."

He heard Hoshi's voice in his ear, "_Major, Sergeant Venner's on the line. Stand By._"

Karl nodded and tried to remember if he knew where Venner was currently assigned when he heard the Marine speak. "_Major Agathon?_"

Something about the Gemenese man's tone put Karl on edge. "Go ahead Sergeant."

"_Sir, I was on guard duty for the Cylon prisoner during Major Adama's interrogation…_" Karl almost staggered as he suddenly realized where this was going. "_The Cylon told him something and he… well, he snapped sir. He shot the prisoner… several times, and then dove across the table and beat the body until I was able to pull him off the corpse. He just left the brig._"

He broke out in a cold sweat as the dread solidified with in him, "What did he tell him, Sergeant?"

"_Sir, it was personal in nature._"

Karl squeezed his eyes shut, 'Lords, not this way…' He then said, "I need to know Sergeant."

The marine was clearly uncomfortable, Gemenese believed that the family and family matters were intensely private and not to be talked about by strangers. "_Sir, he told the Major about his daughter and that she'd been kept from him by his father and wife and possibly Captain _ _Thrace__ as well._"

Karl scowled and muttered a curse meant for Leoben, before he said. "Sergeant, call CIC. Have them page the Major, tell them to repeat the page until they hear from me or him and then get to the Admiral's quarters."

"_Sir, is the Major to be considered dangerous?_"

The question threw the XO, because he simply wasn't sure. "I don't know, just do it." He hung up the receiver and forced his way through the crowd until he got to the hatch and out into the corridor. From there he took off for CIC.

&&&&&&&&&

The rage that sparked in Lee in the brig had burned white hot and out of control more than in moment in his life. Leoben had dragged his history painfully into the light and spun it and him until Lee wasn't sure what to think about anything. The Cylon had him off-balance and shaken, he'd never spoken of those things with anyone, the closest he'd ever come to doing so was an awkward half-started conversation with Gianne once while they were still together.

Shame had kept every secret inside and for that thing to bring them out and shove them back in Lee's face it left Lee feeling battered and bloodied.

Then, he told him and Lee went wild. He pitched head-long into insanity and not only accepted it but he lied down and wallowed in the complete lack of any control it brought. He battered Leoben relentlessly, not caring that he was already dead.

He marched through the corridors bound for his father's cabin; he ignored the looks of the crewmembers he passed as well as the feeling of his blood-soaked uniform and the streaks of gore drying on his face and hands.

He arrived at a small arms locker not far from his father's cabin and punched in his access code before spinning the wheel and pushing the hatch open. He stepped inside and pulled out a box of rounds then his sidearm. He pressed the clip release and reloaded his clip before popping it back in.

He chambered a round then holstered it and left the locker with a clang of the hatch.

When Venner had finally brought him back from the feral rage he'd plunged into, it left a much more calculated seething in its wake. The universe hadn't changed in the brief moment he left it, but his view of it had been completely destroyed and rebuilt. Much like his space-walk Lee found he could no longer see things as he once did; now he saw everything in a dark, sinister light.

All his friends and family were now unknown quantities, many could become enemies depending on how the next few minutes turned out, but at the center of it were three people; His father, his wife and Kara.

&&&&&&&&&

"_Attention Galactica. Pass the word to Major Adama: Contact CIC ASAP. Matter Urgent. Major Adama, contact CIC. Matter Urgent._"

Bill scowled into his dinner, what the hell was going on? That was the third time Hoshi had made the page to Lee. Was Lee still interrogating Leoben? Was the ship in danger? Was Dee alright? What about Kacey?

He tried to go back to his dinner when Laura's voice broke through to him, "Bill?"

He looked up, and she nodded towards his desk. "Perhaps you should find out what's going on."

He picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth before he stood up. The page was repeated as he crossed the room, giving him more reason to worry. The room came to a halt when his hatch swung open with a bang. As he turned to the hatch he heard Laura gasp, "My Gods…" When Bill realized what he was seeing in the hatchway he barely stifled a gasp as well.

Lee stood before them; at least he thought it was Lee because the man before him was not one he recognized. His uniform was stained dark all over his chest and legs, presumably with the same dried blood that covered his hands and face, a face that was closed off and murderous. What worried Bill was his right hand; it was twitching near his gun as though Lee was debating whether or not he should pull it.

Laura stood up while Bill crossed the room slowly, his palms coming up subconsciously. Laura's voice was soothing, "Major?"

His own was confused, "Lee?"

His head snapped in Bill's direction and Bill was met with a look he hadn't seen since before the Attacks. Lee was moments from snapping completely. Three words came from his son's mouth. They sounded like gunshots, "Did you know?"

Bill's lips moved silently before he stammered out, "Son?"

Lee stepped into room; his hand flexed and brushed the handle of his gun. His tone was clipped and fragile, "Did. You. Know?"

"Did I know what? Lee…" He was lost and right now Lee looked like a bomb just waiting for him to make the wrong move.

Laura spoke again in the same soothing tone, "Major? Did the Cylon tell you anything?"

Lee's eyes narrowed to slits as he ground out, "You could say that. Did you know, Dad? Cause he did. Leoben frakking knew and _he_ frakking told me!"

"Son, I told you. You can't trust a word that thing says." He'd clearly said the wrong thing because this time when his hand flexed it landed firmly on his weapon. He took another step towards Lee, "Son, take your hand off the sidearm."

"Given the choice, _Dad_, between people who've lied to me for years and a machine that could do more damage with the truth, I'll take his word. Step back." Bill was clearly too close for Lee's liking so he stopped his advance. "Did you know about Kacey?"

It all clicked into place, he never should have let Kara talk him out of telling Lee that day in sickbay. He should have called Lee back and told him then. His mind suddenly settled on the conversation he had with Dee a few days later. His daughter-in-law had told him that she told Lee and he was going to take things slowly with Kacey and he had taken her word for it. When Lee returned to Galactica and struck up his easy rapport with Kacey, Bill just assumed all was well and he didn't want to push Lee.

He'd made a horrible mistake, "Lee, I… Ana said-"

Lee cut him off, "A-Ana did this?" Suddenly the ragged look in Lee's eyes clamped down and he was all business. "No… You all did this… all of you did this to me."

Bill crossed the remaining distance and grabbed Lee's shoulder, "Son-"

Lee gave him a sharp shove and he staggered backwards as Lee's voice struck him just as sharply in the heart, "Keep your hands off of me!"

By the time he recovered, Laura was at his side and Lee was gone. Laura voice was soft, with a hint of accusation, "Bill what have you done?"

"I think I've just lost my son."

&&&&&&&&&

Karl came around the corner and skidded to a halt as he saw Lee stalking towards CIC. His uniform and face were still stained with Leoben's blood and the man looked dangerous in a way he'd never seen before. "Apollo-"

Lee never broke stride as he pinned the larger man with a look and bit out, "Shut up." He marched into CIC and his blistering scowl caused any officer who looked at him to turn away shamefully.

Lee came to a stop in front of Dee and glared at her until she looked up. She started to smile until she took in his appearance, "Lee, what hap-"

Lee cut her off and Karl winced at the tone, "Walk with me, Lieutenant."

She nodded in a perplexed manner, "O-okay?"

He led her out of the CIC and down the corridor with Karl following a few feet behind. He stopped in front of the hatch to a briefing room and pushed the hatch open. His hand came up and hovered behind Dee as though he was going to wrap his arm around her shoulder only for him to clap an iron grip on the back of her neck and swing her into the room forcefully before he followed her inside. Karl heard a crash inside and he entered to find Dee slumped across the table presumably from staggering across the room into it. "What the FRAK?!"

She quickly stood and whipped around to face him angrily, Lee wasn't fazed and Karl noticed his hand was resting on his sidearm, "Why did you do it, Ana?"

She scowled, "What are you talking about?" Dee was clearly feigning ignorance because for just a moment the former ECO saw abject terror in her eyes.

Karl had thought he'd seen Lee Adama angry, he'd seen him towering over pilots metaphorically and roaring out his anger. But this wasn't what he was seeing, he saw quiet fury, calculated movements and a voice that was approaching Absolute Zero in temperature, "Don't play stupid with me, you whore."

Karl stepped between them, "Lee, let's talk this over."

The viper pilot looked him over with accusing eyes then said, "You knew?"

"Yes, but-" Karl had meant to say more but the straight left fist that was suddenly buried in his stomach shut him up extremely well. He doubled over as the air was forced from his lungs and the right hook that followed struck his cheek hard enough that he saw stars and went careening into the wall.

Karl tried to blink away the blurred vision as Lee turned back to Dee, "Why did you keep Kacey from me?"

Dee took a step towards Lee and he responded by pulling his sidearm out of the holster, "Lee?" Karl had never heard Dee speak so timidly but he could see why. If Sharon had a gun and he'd done to her what Dee had done to Apollo, he'd be praying for his soul. "Lee, you don't understand. It was… It was… I didn't want to hurt you."

The mocking laugh Lee replied with was haunting, "You have a real funny way of showing it."

She scowled, "Lee, Kara's always stood between us. She told me about Kacey… and I thought about how I just don't want children in my life and then I thought about… about how everyone was talking about how much Kara had changed because of her… I panicked Lee. Things were already so bad between us and it would be worse if you two were raising a child together. How long would it be until she took you away from me?"

All three of them knew it the moment she said it that it was the exactly wrong thing to say as Lee spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper, "This… You did this to keep Kara from stealing me from you?"

Dee stepped forward far more cautiously this time, "Lee, please just listen to me. You know now, you can take Kacey… We could raise her, it'll be better for her. Eventually the newness will wear off for Kara and she'll fall into all her bad habits, Kacey shouldn't be around that."

"You kept my daughter from me Ana for months… _Months!_ I had to learn about my daughter from a frakking Cylon!" He stepped right into her face and for a moment, Karl wondered if he'd have to defend her from him. Lee bit out, "Do you know why he told me? He didn't tell me to keep me from Kara, or to protect me. He did it to drive me crazy, he did it in the hopes that I would break and guess what Ana? It frakking worked!"

Karl stepped forward, "Lee?" He held out his hand, "Why don't you hand over your sidearm?"

Lee flipped the gun in his hand and handed Karl the grip, "Relax Karl, I'm not here to kill her, or even hurt her." Dee visibly relaxed before Lee turned back to her with a scowl. "Give me your ring."

Dee frowned, "What?"

"I said 'Give me your ring.' Right. Frakking. Now!" She started to protest but he cut her off. "I'm here to tell you what's going to happen; you've got twenty-four hours to tender your resignation and get as far from Galactica as possible because I swear on my soul if I see you after those twenty-four hours are up I will put a bullet in your gut and let you bleed to death on the deck."

Dee had started crying as he spoke, "Lee, please-"

His voice rose to a shout for the first time, "SHUT UP! I mean it, Ana. I will kill you if I ever lay eyes on you again. I'll send divorce papers and if you so much as hesitate to sign them, I'll make you wish you were never born. Now, hand over the ring."

She tried to plead with him but his face was completely closed off. She tugged the ring from her finger and ran out of the room as it clattered on the deck. Both men stared at the silver band before Lee raised his left hand up as well. With a smooth motion he slipped the ring off his finger then dropped it to the deck as well.

Without a word, he left Karl and, symbolically, his marriage behind.


	8. Chapter 8

Lee left the briefing room and returned to the Senior Pilots' Bunk. He retrieved a fresh set of tanks and his cargos as well as his shower kit. He then went to the head and took a long shower, scrubbing the blood off took a while but Lee spent even longer trying to reconcile all that he'd learned.

His wife, his father, his closest friends had all lied to him and it took an obsessive Cylon for him to learn the truth.

He'd very nearly played into Leoben's hand too. He was so close to shooting his father and soon-to-be-ex-wife that he was shocked he hadn't done it but every time he reached for his gun he thought of Kacey and a strange feeling welled up inside of him.

Standing under the spray he finally identified it; he didn't want to cause Kacey pain in any way. All he wanted was to find Kacey- _His daughter_ and hold her and tell her who he was and promise to keep her with him for the rest of his life.

He stopped the water and dressed quickly before leaving the head. Kara was on CAP when Lee went down to question Leoben, he'd timed it so he'd go down only after she launched. That was two hours ago, it only took two hours for Lee to go completely over the edge only to reel himself back.

He knew Cally was watching Kacey so he sought out the Tyrols' quarters and knocked on the hatch. Cally opened the hatch and looked rather unsurprised to see him. Trust gossip to make sure everyone but Kacey's father know about Lee and Kacey, "I need to see her, Cally."

The woman frowned, "Lee, I just got her down for a nap. It's not a good idea."

He scowled at the deckhand, "You know about Kacey?" She nodded resignedly and he continued, "I'm not going to fight about her. I'm too tired to fight anymore, I just need-"

Cally's face softened at the look in his eyes and she smiled, "I know, Lee."

She waved him in and Lee crossed the room to gently pluck the child off the couch. Kacey smiled at him sleepily and snuggled into his arms as she mumbled, "'Pol-lo." By the time he exited the cabin, Kacey was already fast asleep again.

He arrived in the SPQ and found Showboat at her locker. The redhead smiled at him but Lee couldn't muster the energy to even fake a return smile. "Marcia, could you…" He nodded to the hatch. Marcia looked him over and likely realized that leaving him alone wasn't the best course of action.

She paused at the hatch, "Skipper?" Lee looked at her, "You sure you don't want a friend?" Lee nodded mutely, and she told him if he changed his mind that she was willing to listen then left.

He dogged the hatch then walked over to sit on the bench in front of his bunk and gently roused Kacey before sitting her across from him. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes then smiled at him, "'Pol-lo!" Lee's heart broke at the sight of Gianne's smile and his own blue eyes beaming at him. "Play?"

Lee smiled and swallowed more than a few tears then said, "In a minute, sweetheart. We need to have big girl talk, okay?" Kacey nodded eagerly then Lee spoke, "Kacey, I know Kara's your mommy, but do you remember having another mommy? Before Kara?"

Kacey frowned for a moment before she shook her head, "Nuh-uh."

Lee shook his head, "Nothing?" Again the girl shook her head in confusion, "Well, a long time ago I knew a woman named Gianne. She and I were very good friends and we were going to get married but something bad happened and I thought she was…" He tripped over the word 'killed.' He had no idea how to explain this to a little girl, he decided to change tactics. "Kacey, you know how my father is your Grandfather?"

Kacey smiled widely at the mention of his dad, "Gappa!"

He nodded, "Yeah. 'Gappa.' Kacey, he's your Gappa because he's my father. He's your Gappa because **I'm** your father. Do you understand?"

Kacey looked at him as comprehension dawned on her, "'Pol-lo?" She seemed skeptical but she still grinned a little as she said, "Daddy?"

The dam broke and Lee choked on a sob and the tears sprung from his eyes, "That's right baby. I'm your daddy."

Kacey frowned, "Why cry?"

"Because sweetheart, someone did something horrible to us. He kept you from me and I didn't know who you were." He tried to stem their flow, but it seemed that after all he'd been through in the last two hours he didn't have the strength.

Kacey hauled herself out of his bunk and climbed up into his lap, "Daddy, no cry." She placed a dribbly kiss on his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. Hoping that she could stop his crying the same way her mother always stopped hers.

Lee held his daughter tightly against him, "I love you, Kacey." He then whispered into her hair, "I promise, no one will ever keep us apart again."

&&&&&&&&&

Kara knew something was wrong when she found Karl standing at the foot of her ladder when she popped the canopy. When she got to the bottom of the ladder she noticed the solemn expression on the XO's face and the beginning of one hell of a shiner, she frowned, "What happened, Karl? Someone get the best of you at the dance?"

He said just two words, but they were the only ones she needed to hear, "Lee knows."

She took off from the flight deck in a dead sprint. She barreled through the corridors to her quarters only to find them empty. Her mind reeling she turned and slammed into the Admiral and judging by the look on his face, he and talked to Lee since he found out.

She noticed his clenched fists and she clenched her eyes shut expecting a blow, when it didn't come she opened her eyes again and looked up at him. She didn't see the anger she would expect, only a resigned sadness. "We should talk."

He entered her cabin and took a seat, after a few seconds she followed him, "I'm sorry."

He nodded, "Me too, if I had followed my instincts, none of this would have happened." He sighed, " Dee came to me twenty minutes ago with her letter of resignation and requested a raptor ride off Galactica. She told me everything."

She reached out but her hand faltered before she could touch his, "It's not your fault, sir."

He shook his head sadly, "It's as much my fault as it is yours or Dee's. Any of us could have told him at any time but we were all afraid; you were afraid to lose Kacey, Dee was afraid to lose her husband and I was afraid to hurt what I thought was Lee's attempt to build a relationship with his daughter. Now… I don't know what we can do."

"How did he find out?"

Bill scowled at the wall he'd been staring at then said, "A Leoben came aboard with information he'd only give to you or Lee. Lee and I agreed that we didn't want him to have the chance to hurt you anymore so he volunteered."

Kara froze at the mere mention of Leoben's name; she was back in that apartment for a moment with him trying to force her to love him. She shook herself out of the flashback and found him seemingly waiting for her to snap out of it, "I've heard the recording Lee made of the interrogation and debriefed the marines that were on hand. Leoben went on for almost twenty minutes about Lee's childhood…" He scowled again and his hands clenched into fists. "I had no idea about the things he'd gone through growing up. I allowed my own son to be abused for years because I didn't want to fight for him and Zak."

Kara frowned, "But Zak never…"

He finally turned away from his demons and back to her, "Lee protected him. Leoben had him completely off balance and that's when he told Lee about Kacey."

"Oh Gods…" She knew first hand what Leoben was capable of when he set out to frak with your head. She didn't doubt that Lee no longer knew which way was up by the time that bastard was done with him. He no doubt used Lee's past against him, drawing out feelings that were resolved and buried years ago and tore open old scars until Lee was bleeding from his very soul.

He was cold and calculating and she knew that Leoben only told Lee in the hopes that he would lose his mind, even if only for a while it would be long enough for him to do damage to the crew and the Fleet. Lee was too connected to the upper command of the Fleet for anything he did in the heat of anger not to nearly cripple them.

Her voice came out in a frightened whisper, "What did he do?"

"Lee killed him… brutally. The marines say they tried for almost five minutes to first get him off Leoben and then calm him down, he was raving incoherently. Then he came after me." He looked her in the eye for a tense moment before he asked, "Why did you do it, Kara? Why didn't you come to me? I never would have let Dee do what she threatened to do."

A morbid grin stretched Kara's lips as she replied, "Are you sure about that, sir? There's still a lot of resentment between those who stayed onboard and those who settled. Are you certain you wouldn't have sided with your daughter-in-law over the unruly pilot who jumped ship at the first pit stop?"

Bill Adama stood over her for a long time silently before he spoke sadly, "I would have sided with the woman my granddaughter calls 'Mother' over just about anyone. Cally said Lee took Kacey to the Senior Pilots Quarters. I hope you and Lee can repair what's been done, whether we like it or not, we have to fix this for her sake." He parted with those words and Kara was gone a moment later.

&&&&&&&&&

She came upon a closed hatch when she got to the Senior Pilots' Bunk, with a spin of the wheel it came open and she found that the lights had been dimmed. She stepped inside and found the room nearly empty, judging by the single drawn curtain.

Lee's bunk.

She stepped quietly over to it and reached out with a trembling hand and touched the fabric hesitantly.

She took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was coming then slid the curtain aside almost silently. What she found broke her heart; Lee was in the rack with Kacey, his back exposed to the room. Even in sleep he was protecting Kacey, his arm was wrapped tightly around his daughter.

Kacey was asleep as well, clearly more content than her father. Her nose was buried in the crook of his neck but she could still see the girl's sleepy smile behind a curtain of platinum curls.

Instinctively, her hand reached out to smooth her daughter's hair from her face but was intercepted by an iron grip. She followed the arm and found a pair of blue eyes narrowed to slits in a glare that frightened her. After a moment, Lee let go of her wrist then brought his finger to his lips and pointed towards the hatch.

When he untangled himself from Kacey she whimpered tiredly and mumbled, "Daddy… No…"

Kara's heart broke again at the sound of the girl's plea; just calling Lee "Daddy" was enough to maim her soul. She all but staggered to the hatch as Lee soothed her worries and whispered, "It's alright sweetheart, I'll be right back, I promise. Go back to sleep."

Lee followed her to the hatchway and then into the corridor, she looked him over and noticed a visible slump in his shoulders and dullness in his eyes that had nothing to do with him just being roused from his sleep. She knew then that Leoben had broken him, even if for only a moment.

He looked her over then said, "I'll bring her back in the morning, I just wanted to spend some time with her…"

She shook her head, "No… It's okay. I-ah… I came by to… talk."

He sighed angrily, "I don't want to talk, Kara. I don't want to work it out, I don't want to reconcile, and I definitely don't have it in me to fight with you. I'm tired and to be honest; even if I did want to talk, you would sure as hell be my last choice right now."

Kara looked away and tried to stem the tears that escaped her eyes, "I'm sorry."

She heard him sigh angrily, "Everybody's sorry, but you all went ahead and did this to Kacey and I anyway."

She nodded, "I wanted to tell you… I wanted to tell you so many times but Dee… She said if I told you she'd get you to take Kacey away and keep me from… I love her Lee and I was afraid."

He gripped her shoulders and she was slammed against the bulkhead. Lee's eyes had fire for the first time in this conversation, "You were afraid? Big frakking deal!" He shook his head and stepped back, " Dee lied to me to keep me. Dad never bothered to make sure I knew, Karl and Sharon, the Chief and Cally… For frak's sake, Cottle knew and even he didn't tell me." He looked back into the bunkroom with a dispirited expression and whispered, "No one told me."

She timidly put her hand on his shoulder and was heartened when he didn't take it off of him forcibly, "Lee, what are you gonna do now?"

After a moment, he stood up straight and turned to her slowly, "If I had my way, I'd have already taken Kacey, resigned my commission and gotten as far as I frakkin' could from all of you. But I don't have the option of getting my way anymore.

"You're Kacey's mother as far as she is concerned and she loves the Admiral just as much, and as much as I wish it wasn't true, as much as I wish I had a reason to protect her, you're both good to her. So, you and I and even my dad will have to figure out some way to co-exist for Kacey's sake because even though I **know** what you and he are capable of, she loves you. I won't be the one to take away her family."

He stepped forward and despite their height difference being negligible he loomed over her, a shiver ran down her spine because the look in Lee's eye was deadly, "As far as you, the Old Man and I are concerned however, I'm done. I'm done being betrayed. I'm done being lied to. I'm done with all of the crap he's put me through and all your bullshit issues. It's all over." He stepped back and Kara shuddered under the weight of his words. He turned back towards the hatch and said, "Like I said, I'll bring Kacey back in the morning and we'll work out how we'll do this. Good night, Captain." He stepped inside the bunkroom and the hatch clanged shut before Kara slid down the bulkhead to the floor and buried her face in her hands.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been nine days since Lee had learned of his daughter from Leoben and Karl had watched two of his closest friends all but self-destruct as well as a good portion of the crew. Kara was nearly broken by the way Lee had crushed any hope she had of redeeming herself in his eyes and was far more subdued than before.

The Admiral fared little better concerning Lee. He returned to duty the next morning despite Cottle's protests. He came on deck during morning watch to a warm welcome with the exception of Lee, Karl might have called him out but the flare of pain in his cheek convinced him to hold his tongue. When the Old Man arrived at their side, Karl saluted while Lee stepped back and saluted, "I stand relieved, sir." Karl winced at the clipped way he bit out the last word.

The Admiral didn't salute right away and Karl could tell he was almost willing his son to stop staring through him, "Son-"

Lee scowled but didn't lower his hand, nor did he stop staring straight ahead, he spoke loud enough for everyone to subtly stop what they were doing, "I stand relieved, _sir_."

Karl circled around to the Admiral's side intent on reminding them they were in CIC when the elder Adama stepped forward and spoke quietly, "Lee…"

Because he was next to the senior officer, he was just as pinned by Lee's eyes when they turned nearly black with barely restrained fury, "Respectfully, _Admiral_, I ask that you address me by my rank and allow me to return to my duties, _sir_." The word "sir" was hissed out and Karl almost reeled with the venom it held. Finally dropping the salute, Lee then stepped forward and continued, "And you lost any right to call me your son the second you helped my ex-wife and Captain Thrace conspire against my daughter and me, you remember that from now on." He then spun on his heel and left CIC without being relieved or dismissed.

The Old Man turned towards the TAC table while Karl cast a glare at the deck which returned everyone to their duties diligently. He spent the next few minutes watching his CO carefully, wondering about the extent of the damage that was being done, but unlike his predecessor, he didn't have decades of experience in reading Bill Adama.

When he returned to the XO's cabin which he now shared with Sharon, he'd learned the younger Adama had found his way down to the daily pilot's briefing and reclaimed his role as CAG upon leaving CIC.

As was normally the case, the pilots were a jovial group that morning and didn't really factor in all that had happened to their once-and-again CAG. So it was unfortunate for Hot Dog that he made a joke out loud to the effect of offering to page Lieutenant Hoshi down from CIC to point out his plane if he was having trouble.

According to Sharon, Lee pinned Brendan with a glare and said, "On your feet." When the pilot shot to his feet Lee said, "You think insubordination is funny, Hot Dog? I've put up with a lot of crap from pilots three times as good as you, but it ends today. Consider your flight status suspended until you can learn to keep your frakking mouth shut. Get the frak out!" Brendan left a room that was in stunned silence, "That goes for all of you, we're at war so if you can't treat your job seriously and your commanding officers with respect then you can stand the frak up, walk out of this room and get on the first civilian transport you can find, because I don't frakking need you here. Dismissed!"

The pilots filed out, leaving Sharon, Kara and surprisingly Showboat to bring up the rear. Kara and Sharon stepped up to the podium but Lee pinned them both with a look, "I don't want to hear it."

Kara ignored a warning that Sharon debated over and said, "Lee-"

He scowled, "Captain Thrace, this is your only warning; you will address me as 'Major Adama' or 'sir' unless we're in the air then you may address me as 'CAG' or 'Apollo.'" Sharon said Lee's eyes were icy as he said, "We're not friends and unless Kacey's in the room, I won't allow you to presume that you can act as anything other than a pilot and officer under my command, dismissed."

When Kara had all but ran from the room Sharon had stepped forward, "Lee, you don't have to come down so hard on her… Dee had preyed on her fears."

Lee's control must have slipped because for just a moment, Sharon swore she saw exactly how much Lee had been hurt before he said, "You and Karl knew. You knew and you said nothing. What was holding you two back, hmm? Karl, the champion of the downtrodden and his self-righteous wife who's never missed one opportunity to put us in our place, where was all this when Lieutenant Dualla and Captain Thrace had kept me in the dark about my own child? Better yet, how would you feel if it was you?" Sharon couldn't reply so Lee dismissed her with a snort and returned to the schedule Kat had left behind.

Sharon noticed that Marcia had remained behind when she left and it had piqued Karl's curiosity. The next morning he brought it up to Hoshi as they along with Gaeta were plotting jumps around a rather dense star cluster that took up much of the sector. The former Pegasus officer said that Lee and Marcia had attended the Academy together and had graduated one and two in their class. They'd been friends, though not close after the Academy, after the death of his first XO, Major Shaw and Kara's subsequent transfer back to Galactica, Lee had promoted her to CAG and he had relied on her in the months that followed as more and more officers left for the surface.

Karl was at least relieved that Lee had one person he felt he could trust among the crew but he was worried that Lee rekindling a friendship with her would make matters between him and Kara even more difficult in the long run.

He was by no means stupid; he'd seen how Kara had been around Lee for well over a year and the way she'd only looked at him more intensely since learning the truth about Kacey. He knew jealousy when added to an already catastrophic mix of emotion and broken-trust would only cause chaos and that was the last thing Kacey or her parents needed.

The XO turned down the last corridor bound for the SPQ with the intent of talking to the CAG or at least to Showboat when he heard laughter from his destination. He then heard Racetrack say, "Kacey? What does a bear say?"

He got to the hatch and found the pilots inside preparing for the day, while the toddler sat on the table in the center of the room with her feet dangling over the edge. Kat was sitting at the table next to her, applying polish to her boots, Narcho and Racetrack were at their lockers, Noel was buttoning up his blues while Maggie had taken a moment from brushing her still-wet hair to turn towards Kacey with a playful expression. Lee was sitting at the table as well, tying up his boots and Marcia was sitting nearby in a chair as she helped Kacey put on her shoes.

Kacey looked to Marcia, "So-Bo?"

The redhead grinned and then set Kacey's left shoe down, "You remember bears, don't you Kacey?" She brought her hands up and mimed bear claws.

The toddler smiled and nodded enthusiastically then mimicked Showboat's pose before saying, "Rawr!"

Lee grinned at his daughter, "Very good sweetheart. What does a cat say?"

The little blonde chewed on her thumb as she thought for a moment then said, "Meow!"

Brendan took a moment out of combing his hair and asked what a dog said to which Kacey replied with, "Woof!"

Salty had been lying on his bunk re-reading a weathered comic book that had been passing between pilots since the Attacks. The large, tattooed pilot sat up and let his legs hang over the side with a wicked grin aimed directly at the pilot across the room, "What's a Hot Dog say?"

Everyone looked to Kacey as she shared a grin with the viper pilot then said, "Ooo, she pretty!" Kacey then puckered her lips and made kissing noises.

Hot Dog looked scandalized while the rest of the room erupted into boisterous laughter and applause. Lee meanwhile gave the younger pilot a scowl, "Major, I swear! I never… I didn't. I wouldn't do that in front of your kid!"

Lee seemed to be sizing up Hot Dog before Kacey said, "Daddy!"

The Major turned to his daughter and the little girl puckered up again, Lee quickly obliged the girl and gave her a kiss. Costanza visibly relaxed while the others returned to their routine. Salty had glanced to the hatch then said, "Hey XO, what are you doing slumming?"

He grinned but noticed the guarded expression he'd grown used to from Lee begin to creep back in, "I was hoping to have a word with Major Adama." He decided that the best way to approach an injured animal like Apollo would be to keep him calm by following his rules.

Showboat finished tying Kacey's shoe then gathered the girl into her arms, "C'mon Kacey. Let's go find Mommy." The toddler waved as she was carried out of the room with the rest of the pilots following a moment behind her.

Almost the instant Kacey was out of Lee's sight he transformed from animated and happy to brick wall. He stood up and picked up his tunic then began buttoning up his blues. He gave Karl a scowl, "Unless this is about the flight schedule I turned in yesterday, I have nothing to say."

He frowned, "Major… Is it too much to ask that you'll listen?"

Fastening the last button, Lee tucked his tunic in, "I've heard the 'I wanted to tell you' routine, from Captain Thrace and your wife most notably."

"I know, and that's not what I was going to say."

Lee gave him a placating nod, "The President gave me the 'you're hurting yourself by hurting Kara and the Old Man' routine two days ago Karl."

He gave the viper pilot a sheepish grin, "I'll consider you referring to me by name a small victory." The older man was not amused judging by the way he folded his arms over his chest, "Kara and I go back a long way, when she came aboard Galactica she was broken and slapping the self-destruct button. I didn't know the story of her and Zak but I've learned a hell of a lot about Kara, I imagine I still don't know most of it.

"I imagine I don't know most of the story between you and Kara but I've learned a hell of a lot about you. I'm not asking you to forgive Kara, because I think deep down, you desperately want to. You watch her with Kacey; you know how good she is with your daughter, _because_ of your daughter. I'm just asking you to recognize that drinking yourself into a coma and flying like you want to die isn't the only way to self-destruct."

The CAG gave him a quizzical look then asked, "You think I'm self-destructing? You think that a part of me is looking for some way to ruin my life or maybe even end it? Is that what you think I'm doing by looking at all the people who 'care about me' with the distrust they've earned? Are you frakking stupid?"

He gave Karl a fierce scowl, "The problem with your little theory is I do have a reason to live. As for Kara, every time I've started to open myself up to her, every time I've trusted her, she's done horrible things to me for the trouble. How many times am I supposed to pretend that she hasn't jerked me around for her amusement?"

Karl sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face, but his reply was cut off by the PA, "_Attention Galactica; Pass the word to Majors Adama and Agathon, report to CIC immediately. Major Adama and Major Agathon report to CIC._"

Lee shouldered past him, but Karl gripped his forearm, "This discussion isn't over Apollo."

The viper pilot looked him over with contempt, "Take your hand off me or, XO or not, I'll put you through a bulkhead."

&

The two officers arrived in CIC a few moments later and the Admiral beckoned them over to the Flight Ops station. The Admiral stood next to Gaeta and Cottle, "Thank you for coming, gentlemen. Doctor Cottle has brought his findings from Athena's scouting run to my attention. There's a planet about three jumps away bordering this stellar field with abundant plant life."

Cottle took over the explanation, "Specifically, there's an alga there that interests me. I won't bore the two of you with the details, but this gunk is almost one-hundred percent protein and it could stretch our food supplies indefinitely if properly harvested and cultivated."

The Old Man spoke again, "The President has been asking for civilian volunteers to help with the harvest operations. Apollo, I want you and Major Agathon to oversee the planning from our end. I'll also want you to run the operation from the surface once we arrive, Lee." Bill tried not to wince when Lee's eyes went icy at the use of his first name. "Any questions, gentlemen?"

Karl shook his head while Lee bit out, "None, _sir_." The last word was dripping with bile.

He dismissed them with a nod and the two officers quickly left the deck with Gaeta in tow. After a moment, Cottle grimaced and muttered, "Well, he's certainly a ball of frakking joy."

Bill could only grunt in reply.


	10. Chapter 10

_Unnamed Planet_

_Algae Harvesting Operations: Day 10_

_Operational Command-Post_

Lee could say many things about the so-called Algae Planet; it was bright even during the night because of the nearby stellar field, it was hot and near the numerous ponds and streams it was oppressively humid. What was most commented upon was the air, as the Chief had so delicately pointed out, "the place frakking smells." The algae, which was clearly the dominate form of life on the planet, might have been nutritious but it was so foul that Lee could quickly tell if someone was making their first visit by the strength of their gag reflex upon exiting the raptor.

Fortunately for the people assigned to the surface operations, you did begin to ignore the stench, and eventually the brain filtered it out of your awareness altogether. At least that was the story Cottle had given them a few days ago, Lee had yet to notice any filtering affect.

The place just plain frakkin' stank.

In a way Lee found the stench of the algae, and now the people around him, to be a relief. He'd been able to pull back from the distant and angry man he'd been forced to become since Leoben…

He'd only backed down from personal Action Stations when he was with Kacey and the pressure had been building to nearly fatal levels.

He was truly dying inside.

Kacey couldn't know the strain he'd been under. Perhaps he was lying to her, but he didn't think so. Rather he believed that by making Kacey his focus; basing his every decision on making the best possible life for her, his every breath spent to ease her burdens, he would be freed from the almost endless pain that his life had become since Zak died.

Kacey was his salvation, even if the cost was a lifetime linked with two people who'd did all they could to ruin him.

He just hoped that when he returned to Galactica, that the blinding headache would stay away.

His musing was blown away harshly by the sonic boom made by a raptor streaking overhead. Lee scowled darkly as the raptor made a sharp z-axis turn before executing a perfect touchdown. Frankly, there were only four pilots capable of swinging a raptor around like that. He was out, as was Kat who made the last donut run and Athena could but simply wouldn't, that left just Starbuck.

It helped to think of her as Starbuck, it helped to have that buffer, because thinking of her as Captain Thrace opened the door to thinking of her as Kara and once he started down that road… It didn't matter, she'd burned the bridges between them, and Lee had called in an air strike and orbital bombardment to make sure it could never be rebuilt again.

He was wary and afraid of Kara Thrace; he could be civil and relatively polite with Starbuck… hopefully. He hadn't really had the need to speak with her since that first briefing, Marcia had been extremely understanding and helpful, his last friend really. He'd made it known that no one else's friendship was welcome anymore, so having Marcia around was certainly welcome, and she'd thankfully understood enough to act as a buffer between Lee and everyone.

He steeled himself then crossed the distance to the raptor. As he hopped up onto the wing, the hatch popped and swung open. Kara stepped out with the usual sneer the stench of this place earned. He started his tirade with a sigh, "Starbuck, I know that donut runs aren't the most exciting thing you can be doing but I can't have you showing off like that, it's unprofessional and…" He trailed off when she grinned at him.

She shook her head, "Sorry Major, I was just trying to show a VIP a good time."

He heard a giggle and his eyes widened. He forgot everything; his tirade, Starbuck's showing off, and professionalism and rushed into the raptor to find Kacey standing up in the co-pilot's seat. The little girl's eyes widened and she held out her arms, "Daddy!"

He swooped in and pulled his daughter into his arms, "Kacey!"

The toddler squealed in his ear and wrapped her little arms around his neck tightly, "Mommy flew! Mommy flew!"

He smiled then stepped back and took a seat at the ECO station, he noticed Starbuck grinning slightly as she took the jump seat. He let Kacey find a comfortable position in his lap then he asked, "Did she?"

His daughter nodded eagerly, "Uh-huh! There were stars and vipers and rappers and we went whoosh!" Her hand made a sweeping motion, "Through clouds! It was fun!"

He smiled, "I'll bet it was."

She grinned toothily at him, "I wanna be a pilot!"

He smirked, "I think you'll be a great pilot sweetheart, but you've got some time. You've got to be big enough to reach the pedals first!" He tickled her tummy and smiled at her squeal of laughter. "When you're a big girl and can reach the pedals and tie your shoes, and you still want to be a pilot, then I'll gladly help teach you to fly, okay sweetie?"

Kara nodded, "That's right Kacey. We'll help you do whatever you want to do but you'll have to master those shoes first." She finished with a smile at Lee and for a moment… He quickly returned his attention to Kacey and squelched that thought before it took root.

Kacey's eyes had locked onto the world outside the open hatch and went wide, "Outside! Outside!" She jumped off his lap and was through the hatch in a flash.

Lee was up instantly to give chase and Kara was only inches behind him so she slammed into his back when he skidded to a halt to keep from crashing into Kacey who had stopped on the edge of the wing. She turned back to Lee with her little face screwed up in a grimace and her fingers pinching her nose closed, "Daddy, stinky!"

Lee heard Kara's laughter bark in his ear a split second before he began to laugh himself. He stepped forward and sat down next to Kacey on the edge of the wing, "I know baby. Believe me, I know."

Kacey plopped down next to her father with Kara sitting down on the other side while the Chief, Cally and several other NCOs moved supplies in and out of the raptor. Their work didn't last long, but Lee found himself wishing for issues to arise to prolong his time with Kacey. Kara's voice broke him from those thoughts, "Crouton? Tell daddy what you did yesterday."

Lee gave the blonde pair a raised eyebrow, Kara was proudly stroking Kacey's shoulder and his daughter was grinning impishly. It was giving Lee all sorts of thoughts he refused to acknowledge anymore. Finally the toddler spoke, "Buttoned my shirt."

Lee felt a surge of pride as he wrapped his arm around her. "That's my girl! You'll be grown up and reaching those pedals in no time." He smiled even as the idea of a grown up Kacey gave him a stabbing pain for just a moment.

It was forgotten when she trotted after Cally and Lee found himself alone and uncomfortable with Kara. He turned to her and tried to muster that pain, anger and betrayal that got him through those first few hours. The righteous fury that seemed to burn out of every inch of him had fled him the moment Kacey first called him Daddy.

The pain was still there, he felt it when he looked at Karl or Sharon, when the Admiral spoke his name, hell he nearly blacked out with rage when he saw Dee's _signature_ on their divorce papers, but for some reason he couldn't muster it for Kara right now.

Not when she seemed to know precisely what he needed, and he knew why too. If their positions had been reversed, he'd have brought Kacey down here to see her even if only for a few minutes. The words came to his lips then, "Thank you… for… y'know." He sighed as the words jumbled in his brain, "Thanks."

She smiled sadly, "My pleasure."

The silence settled between them again while Lee watched Cally and Kacey singing some sort of song before Kara started meekly, "I didn't… I-I'm not trying to win points, y'know? If that's what you're thinking, I mean. Not many people get just how you feel," She snorted sarcastically, "Karl seems to think if he talks to you enough, he'll find some magical formula to get you to forgive us. Sometimes he's too much about words."

She turned to him and looked him in the eye for the first time in what seemed like years, "Some things can't be fixed." He watched as her courage faltered and she looked away as her demons hounded her. She continued almost wistfully, "I learned that a long time ago."

He couldn't help but agree with her, but for the first time in days he thought he could at least speak about what happened, "We've never been good at talking." He gave her a bitter smile, "A lot of the time, we actually make things worse when we talk."

She nodded, "That doesn't excuse me."

He managed to stay the surge of anger, so his words came out with regret instead of recrimination. "No, it doesn't."

Silence claimed them again before she could ask, "Have you spoke with your father?"

Lee felt his face close down as he saw red. Leoben had dredged up nearly everything his family had done to each other and left them festering out in the open and, reasonable or not, Lee had laid the blame for most of it at his father's feet. It seemed that after everything he'd been through, the rage he felt for his father as a boy had never been sated. His teeth actually began to grind when he bit out, "No. I can't."

"I understand." He was a little surprised when she let the matter of his father drop. After all, she was the Admiral's daughter in spirit and a far more loyal child to Bill Adama than his son had ever been. His thoughts turned back to something Leoben had said, about him recognizing his pain in Kara.

She'd never mentioned her childhood but somehow Lee had always just known that Kara's mother had been abusive.

The Cylon had been right; Lee had turned the pain of his childhood into a bitter rage as an adult. He didn't doubt that had it not been for the Attacks forcing his father back into his life that the next time he saw his parents would be a funeral for one.

He had to wonder, did Kara turn pain into guilt and fear instead of rage? Was that the reason she'd done every self-destructive thing she'd done in her life?

Was that why she just accepted that Lee couldn't forgive her?

Before he could ask her, Kara got to her feet, "Kacey!" Cally and Kacey turned from their game before Kara said, "Time to go, baby!"

Lee couldn't help but shake his head at her crestfallen face as Cally led her back to the raptor. Her eyes locked with his and ask a single question. Lee stepped off the wing then kneeled down to her level to answer her unasked question, "Soon sweetheart. In tens days, Helo will come down and take my place down here and I promise the first thing you and I will do is spend the day together. We'll even start another of Grandpa's story books, okay?"

Her expression turned first petulant then stormy until he mentioned a new story book. Lee had taken to reading her some of his father's books before bed. At least the ones he could read; the Admiral's taste for murder mysteries and political thrillers were not the best reading for children but once Kacey came into their lives he dug some more appropriate books out of his storage locker.

Kacey seemed to mull over his offer before her frown cracks a bit and she asked, "Promise?"

He smiled, "Anything for you, you know that."

In a flash, she surged forward and wrapped her small frame around his neck and laughed. "Okay!"

With a grin, Lee rose to his feet and ignored the smile the Chief and Cally and Seelix were sharing at his expense. He carried her back into the raptor and strapped her into the co-pilot's seat. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Kacey nodded eagerly and left a kiss on his cheek; Lee returned the kiss and said. "I love you, Kace."

"Love you too, Daddy."

He cleared the lump from his throat and ducked out of the raptor, then paused in front of Kara. One look in her eyes and he knew, he could see guilt radiating from her almost in waves. He simply didn't know what to say to her, "Thank you."

She smiled genuinely and stepped inside.

Lee got clear of the raptor as the hatch closed. He watched Starbuck's ship rise from the ground and take off into the sky. He was lost in thought by the time she disappeared from sight so he had no idea how much time passed when he felt the Chief shake him, "Major?"

He looked at Galen in confusion, "What is it, Chief?"

The NCO frowned, "We have a problem. The Cylons jumped into orbit, the Admiral's on the line for you."


	11. Chapter 11

Karl found Kara in Ops Planning at the map table clearly trying to work out a rescue mission. He crossed the room and came to a stop next to her and took notice of the moisture gathering at the corner of her eyes. As she moved around models to try and get optimal cover position for a raptor marked "rescue."

He sighed, things between him and Kara were far better then they had been when he thought she was a willing partner in Dee's deception but they were still strained. No longer was he her passive best friend and sounding board, he was a man who'd judged her. Something he'd long ago swore to himself he'd never do.

However, he was still her friend and when the Admiral called her up to CIC and informed her that the Cylons were blockading the planet below and there was a chance they would have to nuke the surface with their people still down there, Kara's face told him all he needed to know. She'd need him.

He broke the silence gently, "Kara-"

She turned to him with a scowl and snapped out, "I'm not in the mood right now, Karl." He tried to step towards her and she took a step back. She landed in a very clear fighting stance as she hissed between clenched teeth, "Karl, I'm warning you."

He took another step and her fist flew, catching him on the cheek in almost the same spot Lee had a few days ago. He was undeterred and pulled her resisting form into an embrace. After a few minutes he felt a damp spot forming on his uniform and she shook against him. He relaxed; hopefully he wouldn't be hit anymore.

After a few minutes, she pulled back and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Is it wrong for me to wish that the Cylons had waited a few days to show up?"

He leaned against the table, "So I'd be down there instead of Apollo?" She nodded and he grinned, "Somehow I doubt Lee'd come down here to make sure you were alright."

She gave him a watery smile, "Karl, no offence but I just don't think I'd be as broken up." She turned back to the table with a scowl, "They just found out about each other and the Cylons are gonna take Lee from Kacey. It's just so frakked up." She bowed her head and Karl noticed a tear splatter on the table top, "I should have told him months ago."

He reached out and gripped her forearm. When she finally looked back up at him, he spoke with as much conviction as he could muster, "We'll get them- we'll get _him_ off the surface. I promise you, Lee will be back on Galactica making us all miserable before you know it." He grinned when her face screwed up not in angst but rather annoyance.

He took a step back and spoke more formerly, "Now, there's still a matter of striking the XO. Captain Thrace, I'm ordering you to quarters to spend some time with your daughter." He smiled reassuringly, "It's going to be fine Kara, I promise."

She nodded and left him a moment later. He looked the map over for a moment then shook his head before leaving Ops Planning as well.

He was almost to CIC when Sharon came around the corner with the Admiral and by the disturbed look in her eyes, he'd wager something was wrong. "Sharon, what-"

She cut him off, "Not here."

&

"While you and the President were meeting with Cavil and Baltar, I spoke with Boomer."

The statement hung in the air for a second before the Admiral said, "Are you sure?"

Sharon nodded, "Yes. We can differentiate between copies. She told me Hera was alive."

Karl was on his feet in an instant, his eyes searching the room wildly, as though his daughter was in the room in some as yet unseen location. The Admiral's reaction was more restrained; he removed his glasses and scrubbed his hand over his face. She realized that it was perhaps the first time she'd seen even that much emotion from the Admiral. That one action of resigned anger was also enough to give her hope, hope that Boomer was wrong about them, some of them at least.

Karl finally realized that just because Hera was alive, it didn't mean she was there. He turned bewildered features upon her, "Where is she?"

Sharon kept her eyes on the Admiral, "She's on the Base Ship, she's ill. Did you know?"

For just a moment, he seemed to lose focus on the moment and she wondered if Lee had asked him the same question about his own daughter. He quickly regained his composure, cementing it by replacing his glasses and rising to his feet. "No." He cleared his throat and turned towards the hatch. Before leaving he paused, "If you'll excuse me, I need to discuss this with the President immediately."

&

Bill stepped into his own cabin, a small voice in the back of his mind wondered how many times he'd have a conversation in this room that would leave someone feeling completely betrayed; Kara's confession about his son's death, his talk with Lee before the battle with the resurrection ship, Laura confessing her role in the election, and he now suspected he'd have to pry another confession from her about Hera.

It was enough to make him want to call maintenance and have them weld the hatch shut.

He found Laura at his desk pouring over the scriptures. Hearing his entrance she started speaking, "There's not much about the Eye in these scriptures but there's quite a bit about the Temple itself, 'Five pillars of the Temple were fashioned after the five priests devoted to the one whose name cannot…'" She looked at him quizzically when he reached across the desk and closed the book. "What is it, Bill?"

He scowled, it seemed every time he started to really feel something for this woman the Gods saw fit to do things like this. "The Cylon we knew as Boomer came aboard. She says they have Hera on board the Base Ship…" He paused just long enough to try and gauge her reaction, but she'd become quite the politician since the initial flight from the Colonies. He couldn't read her at all, "She said that Hera had been seen at your school on New Caprica."

Laura's eyes were clenched shut as she muttered what sounded like, "She's still alive." She removed her glasses and looked at him; he felt a small surge of bitter amusement as he suspected she'd picked up that mannerism from him. "Yes, the child was at the school. I kept her there. She was captured during the exodus from New Caprica." She rose to her feet and attempted to pin his gaze with hers, "I know what you're thinking and that's also true, but listen to me-"

He spun on his heel and left whatever reasons she might have had behind. He didn't want to hear them.

For the first time, he could completely understand what his son had felt when Leoben told him about Kacey and he couldn't help but wonder why any god would see fit as to choose these people to fulfill prophecy.

&

The marine led Sam Anders into the command building and took a position by the door; it was pretty much what the former guerilla leader expected; desks, charts, a few weapons and Lee Adama.

When the Chief had come to him a half-hour ago asking him to help them put together a defense position for some temple while the Chief looked for some mystical sign-post to Earth or blew it up he thought for just a moment that his ex-wife was down here but he knew Apollo was down here and he was pretty sure he knew the other man well enough that he wouldn't have him and Starbuck down here at the same time, for military reasons and personal ones as well.

He didn't know if anyone on Galactica realized it, but the happenings on the military ship often served as the only form of entertainment for the rest of the Fleet. Some of the shit that had gone on over there sounded a lot like the soaps that Sue-Shaun loved so much. Especially the half-rumors/half-speculation about the little girl Kara brought back from New Caprica.

He found it strangely fitting that the kid that broke up his marriage was Lee Adama's daughter. It gave him a sense of symmetry. Perhaps that was why he seemed to listen intently for any speculation about Kacey, most of them variations on the theme that Lee had apparently knocked up one of the Sixes before the Attacks, though a few were a bit more far fetched.

Lee seemed completely unaware of his presence so he leaned casually against one of the desks until the officer finally deigned to recognize his presence. Seconds ticked by silently until the pilot's voice broke the silence, "I wanted to personally thank you, Mr. Anders. For doing this. We don't have too many options at this point but we can't let the-"

Sam chuckled, "Cut the crap Lee, the civvies are just as dead as the Fleet if the bulletheads decided to come in shooting so we've got as much reason as you to fight."

The shorter man seemed to deflate for just a moment before resuming his previous stiff-backed posture, "I suppose that's true enough."

The once-and-again guerilla fighter kicked off the desk, trying to figure out how to talk to Lee, "It must be… difficult, y'know, being away from Kara and Kacey, especially when we might not get back to the Fleet."

Lee looked at him quizzically for a long time before he said, "How do you know about Kacey?"

He laughed outright this time, "C'mon Apollo, you can't honestly think we don't pay attention to every frakking thing that goes on over on Galactica, can you? You guys have been some of the biggest drama since 'Picon Defense Force' on DelphiNet."

Lee's face went from curiosity to confusion to incredulity in about three seconds. The officer then let out a bemused chuckle, "Frakking figures." He sagged against the wall and said, "It's… probably even more complicated than you know. But I'll do you a favor and tell you, you can sell it to the wireless too for all I care. My ex-wife strong-armed Kara into not telling me for months. Said she'd get Kara thrown off Galactica somehow… it doesn't matter. What matters is that it was a Leoben that finally told me. I've… Well, I just can't deal with Kara right now."

Sam had expected a lot of things when he walked in here and saw Apollo; him gloating, detached professionalism, maybe even an apology for taking his wife away. What he didn't expect was this. "So you just cut them out of your life, is that it?"

Lee shook his head, "No, Kacey deserves a hell of a lot more than that from me. She deserves a family; a father, I may be frakked up, but I'm trying to be there for her."

The pyramid player stepped forward and spoke quietly, "And Kara? What does she deserve?"

The viper pilot was silent for a long time, he seemed to be mulling that over, almost arguing with himself. Finally he locked eyes with Anders and said, "That's the question, isn't it?"

Another silence followed, but this time both seemed to suddenly remember who they were talking to. Lee cleared his throat and said, "Get your people ready Sam, we'll head to the Temple shortly to set up the perimeter." Sam managed a nod before Lee left him alone.


	12. Chapter 12

The Temple of Five was as beautiful to Galen Tyrol as its mystery was tantalizing. The high ceilings were covered in intricate carvings that rivaled the finest artwork of the Temple of Zeus on Gemenon or the unparalleled statues in the Temple of Aphrodite on Caprica. They were stunning and left the Deck Chief in awe. He knew above all else everything here would have been carved by hand, for using machines and laser-cutting would have not only been too precise but the height of sacrilege.

Then there was quintet of five-sided pillars encircling a circular spire prominently displayed in the center were covered in writings in Old Koboli as well as drawings that would have brought tears to his mother and father's eyes. Here it was; waiting out forty centuries in darkness for them to find in their time of greatest need, actual evidence of the scriptures and the Gods. It was beautiful.

It was all so beautiful that he began to believe.

The same boy who would scowl at a closed door while his parents spent hours ignoring him, the same teenager who would dance naked and look at Nymph Magazines in their chapel a few years later, the same man who a little over a year ago wondered if he was even human was flush with religious fervor at the sight of this temple and altar to a god worshiped by priests who were cast out and called heretics. He could laugh at the irony.

Especially considering that once he learned the secrets of this place that called out to his soul he was going to blow it up before the Cylons could try to do the same. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his wife and his people placing charges all around, his owns fingers held the scent of G-4 while a master detonator switch sat heavily in the pocket of his BDUs.

He wasn't fluent in Old-Koboli, especially the written but he could muddle through it thanks to his parents. He could piece together the religious struggle on Kobol; the years of bitter enmity between the Twelve Lords and the Jealous God. The One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken.

Once the Five Priests rose to prominence, they began to call for open war began between the religious sects. Those who followed the Five Priests led a brutal crusade against their brothers and sisters until the Lords became so angered they cast the Jealous God and his priests out, exiling them from Kobol. They eventually healed the thirteen tribes but the damage had been done, their world was dying and the Exodus would soon begin.

Exiled, the priests came to this world and constructed this temple at the order of the God who'd seen his role in events to come including the prophecies of Pythia.

He couldn't understand all of it, but there allusions to the importance of the Eye of Jupiter and a sacrifice of "Faithful Warrior" or "Warrior of Faith" he just wasn't sure. He re-read the passage about the eye again, "'-The Eye shall lead them on…' Great. Now, where the frak is the eye?"

His eyes came to rest on the symbol he'd seen again and again within this temple; a swirling mandala of blue, orange and yellow. He'd seen it before, he was sure of it. It struck a familiar note, an almost-memory from somewhere in the back of his mind. Was it the physical description of the Eye? Or just a symbol for it?

If only it had been simple, like in adventure movies. Where he pressed his hand on the mandala in a certain way and it would recede into the spire, opening a secret passage-way into some hidden tomb beneath the altar blowing stale air into his face. Cally would come to stand next to him as he stared into the gloom before making a pithy remark or pun.

He'd enter the tomb and push aside cobwebs (even though there were no signs of animal life of any kind on this planet) and vines and perhaps outsmart intricate booby-traps to find the Eye on a light drenched pedestal. He'd throw Cally a wink then pluck it from the dais and somehow the Temple would start coming down on their heads. They'd charge out of the Temple as it collapsed and Tyrol would leap out of the cloud of dust just as it came down.

If only it were simple…

He'd even tried the press the symbol to no avail.

He pulled his hand from the mandala with a frown. He stared at it as though he could intimidate the stone into revealing the Eye to him with about as much success. As the minutes began to drift away unnoticed by him his eyes lost their focus and the colors seemed to swirl around, drawing him into depths previously unseen. He felt a strange falling sensation and at the edge of his awareness he heard something… it was almost like… a song-

Cally's hand on his forearm and her voice in his ear pulled him back. "Galen?" He stepped back with a start and shook himself from the grip of the mandala, the song gone before he could even fully realize it. He shook his head to clear away the haze he'd been in then mumbled a greeting, his wife frowned, "We've placed the last of the charges and Apollo wants us at the rally point. The Cylons have pushed us all the way back. If we can drive them off, we'll come back and find it but if we can't…" Her voice trailed off as sympathy shined at him from her gaze.

With a mournful sigh he completed her words, "We blow the place up."

&

Rounds screamed overhead and Lee Adama knew one undeniable fact at that moment.

They were being pushed back.

They'd engaged the Cylons five times since they set up their initial perimeter and all five times they'd been pushed back. They'd lost three marines and four civvies over the course of those engagements to buy time for the Temple to be either secured or demolished and now their backs were against the wall, figuratively and damn near literally.

Lee noticed a group of clankers trying to move into a flanking position. He looked to his left and saw Mathias reloading her RPG launcher. "Mathias!" The marine looked up and he called out, "On our three!"

Without hesitation, the former Pegasus marine took aim and fired at the Centurions, the round struck one and the group was blown to pieces.

He noticed another group approaching near Anders' position. He plucked a grenade from his bandoleer and pulled the pin as he yelled, "Sam!" When the other man turned to him, he lobbed the grenade to him as he said. "It's live."

Sam caught the grenade and with startling accuracy threw it into the midst of the Cylons. When the cloud of dirt and metal kicked up from the explosion Lee and Sam fired several rounds into it, and moved on to another target. The pyramid player then shouted, "We're in some serious trouble Apollo!"

Lee must have channeled Kara because he smirked and bit out sarcastically, "No shit." He risked a glance over his shoulder towards the cave entrance and breathed a sigh of relief; finally the demolition team was coming out. They had options again, admittedly they were tactically horrible; "Don't blow up the Temple and get overrun before Galactica nuked them" or "Blow up the Temple and risk being nuked by the Cylons" but at least there was an option.

He'd learned that in War College, as long as there was an option there was a chance at victory. Admiral Nagala had said it best, "If you have to either burn to death or jump out the window, jump out the window then you can worry about learning to fly."

Cally and the Chief made their way to Lee's position and took cover. He pulled out the detonator then primed it, "Charges are set, Major."

The CAG fired off several shots at a toaster that had been firing at Mathias' position then said, "Great, blow the frakker!"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Chief's eyes widened and his face grow pale. He nearly dropped the detonator and mumbled to himself. Lee's eyes narrowed and he spoke harshly, "Chief, blow the charges! Right now! They're coming; we're frakked so blow the frakking charges!"

Cally gripped his arm and yelled, "Galen!"

Shots whizzed by their heads and the group ducked down. Apollo then hissed out through clenched teeth, "Now!"

He looked from the Temple to the detonator in his hand and back again. His thumb twitched over the button several times before Mathias yelled out to Lee, "Major!"

He looked towards the marine and she pointed towards the entrance to the cavern. His head whipped back around just in time to see a Cavil and a D'Anna slip inside. "Chief!" The NCO looked at him with desperate eyes, "What the frak is the matter with _you_?"

Several of Sam's people started yelling as well and Anders himself said, "What's the frak is going on? Hit the frakking switch!"

He stammered wordlessly and finally managed to say, "I… c-can't do it."

Anger flared in the viper pilot and he violently shoved Tyrol to the ground then shouted, "Give me the frakking switch!"

He reached for the detonator and for just a moment Tyrol fought him over it. Lee was stunned for just a second before he pulled his sidearm and pointed it at him. "Let it go. Right. Now."

Galen seemed to come to his senses at that moment, because he dropped the detonator like it burned him. Lee picked it up and immediately hammered the button. Everyone looked towards the cavern, Lee's teeth ground as nothing happened. He felt his face twist into a scowl and he surged forward. He grabbed Galen by his tanks and yanked him up, "What the frak have you done!"

The deck chief's eyes looked towards the mountain, "My Gods…"

Lee followed his eyes and saw the sky lighting up in bright colors like he'd never seen before, he heard Cally mutter. "What the Hell is that?"

Lee quickly dropped the Chief and ran for the Temple. He may not have been a religious man but even he could recognize a sign. Mathias and Anders were right behind him.

None of them had even noticed the Cylons had stopped shooting at them.

&

As the cavern opened into the Temple, Lee took notice of a Cavil standing near one of the charges. The detonator was in his hand; he turned towards them and started to pull a pistol. Lee had already got a line on him and fired, spraying the wall behind him with Cavil's brain.

He immediately swung his pistol towards the altar and found D'Anna standing on the dais under the spire with Baltar nearby. The former President raised his hands in surrender, "Commander Adama-"

Anders, who'd had been only a few steps behind, took aim on him, "Don't you frakking move, traitor!" Mathias arrived then and followed suit.

Lee had his gun trained on D'Anna as he approached, "Step away or I fire."

The blonde turned from the spire to him, "I can't."

He cocked the hammer, "I said, step away."

Tears sprang to her eyes, "I can't. You _have_ to understand. This is my destiny, Major."

As Lee was about to fire he heard Galen shout from the entrance, "Major! The star's going nova, it's the Eye!"

He'd taken his eye off her enough to throw off his aim, so as light started to cascade down on her and Lee fired he only struck her shoulder. Galen's panicked plea surged him forward and he tried to tackle her out of the light only to be swallowed by it himself…

&

He was piloting his viper.

It must have been a flight with an atmosphere as there were nearly black storm clouds outside of his canopy. He looked around and noticed a Mark II in front of him, then he heard Kara's voice in his ear piece, she sounded strangely serene as she said, "_It's okay… Just let me go. Tell Kacey I love her. They're waiting for me._"

He realized it was Kara in front of him only a split second before flames licked the nose of her plane and the metal began to twist and compress.

The fuel must have ignited because before he even realized it her viper turned into a fireball in front of him. He was screaming at the top of his lungs before he even realized it, "NO! NO!"

His father's voice was in his ear telling him to pull up before he blew up as well…

&

He was lying in his rack, he was still in his flight suit and his eyes were burning while tear tracks wet his cheeks.

He looked down to see Kacey trembling against his side. "I'm so sorry, baby… I'm so sorry."

Kacey shook with another sob and called out for her mother.

&

He was sitting again, though now he was in a chair at his father's desk.

The Old Man looked like he was gearing towards fury, but he could see a weary defeat deep in the blue depths. He knew deep down that if he saw his face in a mirror that same look would be in his eyes. Finally he spoke in an icy voice, "Forget it. I need you as CAG."

Lee felt his head shake and a sense of frustration wash over him. "Why did you give me those law books? You gave me your father's law books."

The Admiral shook his head, "I made a mistake."

He leaned forward angrily, "Why? Why is it a mistake?"

"You're a pilot-"

Lee cut him off incredulously, "And with Zak gone and Kara dead, you need me to carry your flag. Is that it?"

The weariness gave way completely to frustrated anger, "You're a pilot! You're a pilot and you're my son and I will **not** sit there and look across that court room to see you sitting on the other side!"

A cold fury took Lee's breath away, completely different from the one that had gripped him after Leoben told him about Kacey. It was an older and far more familiar anger that drove out the words that followed. "See me? Or see someone else?"

He could practically hear his father and his CO warring as he said, "Report for duty."

"Is that an order?"

Bill stood up, "You're in way over your head. Report for duty."

"Is. That. _An order_?"

He removed his glasses and stepped around his desk as he bit out. "I'm through giving you orders!"

&

He was flying again.

This time the clouds were much brighter, bright golds and blues. It was a nebula.

He noticed a viper pull up beside him, a pristine Mark II. He looked towards the cockpit and got the shock of his life. Kara smiled at him, "_Hi Lee._"

He was amazed he managed to say anything because his heart was pounding so hard. "Kara?"

She nodded then spoke seriously, "_I've been to Earth. I know where it is, and I'm gonna take us there._"

&

He stood in a brig cell now; he could feel Kacey's hand in his.

Kara sat like a petulant teenager on the deck with her back against the bars. She looked up just in time for Kacey to sprint into her arms, "I know, crouton. I know. Momma missed you too." As she soothed her daughter's crying she looked up at Lee with a wistful smile, "Thank you."

He grinned and leaned against the wall, "I figured that Kacey should get used to seeing Momma in hack, so I've killed two birds with one stone."

She laughed as Kacey settled into her lap, "I see you're back in uniform."

He shrugged, "The Admiral promoted Marcia to Major and I'll never be CAG again. There was a job that Zerek offered me but… I couldn't leave Kacey. Or you."

She chuckled, "Don't trust us?"

He crossed the cell and took a seat next to her and wrapped an arm around her, "I just got my family back. I'm not losing you again, even to the Quorum."

Kara burrowed into his side. She started shaking and then whispered, "No one believes me."

He shook his head and squeezed her shoulder, "I believe you."

&

He was on a planet. At first he thought it might be New Caprica but the ruins quickly ruled that out. He held Kara's hand tightly as they watched his father and President Roslin a few feet ahead. The Old Man kneeled down and picked up a handful of dirt before throwing it down in disgust.

He could hear the clicking of a rad-counter. The place was hot.

Earth was nothing like he'd hoped…

&

He opened his eyes to see Skulls' face leaning over him. "Major? Are you all right?"

He shook his head and sat up gingerly, "What happened?"

Sam spoke from one of the jump seats, "The Temple did something to you and that skinjob. She died almost the second the light went away but you were out cold. She kept muttering about something, the Final Five something."

He shook his head again and scrubbed his hand across his face, "'Final Five' what?"

The ECO placed his fingers against Lee's throat to check his pulse, "No clue, we had to get you out of there pretty fast, we almost didn't make it off-world before the planet was destroyed. You seem okay, but once we're done being taxied onto the deck we'll get Doc Cottle to check you out."

He nodded, and then heard the Chief, "I think the Cylon had a vision, do you remember anything sir?"

He tried to recall what he'd seen so vividly moments before but like a nightmare, it was fading a little more with every second that passed. Finally, he shook his head dejectedly. "No. It's all jumbled. I just… I know it's important but I don't know why."

The raptor lurched as it came to a stop on the deck and a moment later the hatch popped. Lee surprised even himself when he jumped to his feet and darted out of the hatch.

The instant his feet hit the deck; he began scanning the area for two faces. He found Kara almost instantly; she was trailing behind Kacey as the toddler was practically yanking her arm out of socket to get to him. Kacey finally broke free as he ran towards his daughter.

She was screaming as she barreled on towards him too, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

He dropped to his knees in front of the little girl and wrapped her into a tight hug. "Oh Gods, Kacey."

She nestled into him with a happy sigh and kept repeating, "Daddy."

Lee looked up to find Kara standing in front of him with a watery smile. When her eyes met his, the anguish and guilt started to cloud her features and she started to turn away. Something in him shifted then and his hand shot out like lightning to grip her wrist. Wide eyes stared down at him only to become even more incredulous when he yanked her towards them and down to the deck with him and Kacey.

He pulled her into the hug and held her there. He heard a sob and Kara mumble into his shoulder and he was struck by a strange sense of déjà vu. "I'm so sorry, Lee."

He shook his head and pressed his lips to her temple, "Shh Kara… It's okay. I forgive you." He looked over her shoulder to see his father nearby. He locked eyes with the Old Man and said for Kara and his father, "I forgive you."

Kara only shook harder against him and squeezed him in a vice like hug. Kacey practically cooed as she burrowed into both of her parents and the three of them stayed that way until Cottle finally ordered him to sickbay.

Lee finally felt like he had a family.

**&End&**

**Author's Note:** Now before you curse me for ending things there. I felt that was a good place to end things, especially considering I didn't want to put Kacey through killing Kara. I gave Lee those visions not so he would forgive Kara as I felt he already had after his talk with Sam but I felt he'd need them to act as Kara's champion once she returns from the dead.

This one was a surprise for me because I don't usually like stories where a character has a sudden family and I don't really like stuff that just buries you in angst. But I think I got to stretch my legs some and that's rarely a bad thing. The only question I have right now is what to write next. Anyway, I thank you for reading this and I'll seeya around the internet.


End file.
